This year’s SBC Summit Americas will take place just as the FIFA World Cup 2026 get underway across North America. Football fever is likely to spread quickly, with betting volume expected to reach record levels. But it isn’t just sportsbooks that can get in on the act.
Wazdan, a provider of slot titles globally, will be showcasing three titles as it exhibits at SBC Summit Americas in June – one of which titled 9 Balls, a football related slot designed to capture the essence of the sport amongst fans across North and South America.
To chat about 9 Balls, the development of markets across Latin America and the US, as well as what to expect at SBC Summit Americas, iGaming Expert caught up with Wazdan’s Head of Account Management for North America and Latin America, Izabela Słodkowska-Popiel.
Wazdan has placed a big focus on the Americas over the last few years. Could you please begin by outlining your presence across the region? What markets are you in, and how important are these markets to your global footprint?
The Americas have become one of Wazdan’s most important strategic regions, playing a central role in our global expansion plans. Over the past few years, we have significantly strengthened our footprint across both North and Latin America, focusing on regulated markets and sustainable, long-term growth.
In North America, we have established a strong presence in Canada, particularly in Ontario, which has acted as a key entry point into the region. From there, we have continued to build momentum through partnerships with leading operators and a growing portfolio of certified content. In the US, our approach is more selective, working state-by-state to ensure compliance and strong local alignment.
In Latin America, we are live in several key markets including Brazil, Colombia and Peru, with further expansion plans underway. These markets are incredibly important to our global footprint due to their scale, growth trajectory and increasingly regulated environments. Collectively, the Americas represent a major pillar of our long-term strategy.
Latin America is still viewed as a key growth region for many operators and suppliers. How do you develop games specifically for Latin American audiences, and what type of content resonates best?
Localisation is absolutely central to success in Latin America. It’s not just about translating content, but about understanding player behaviour, cultural preferences and gameplay expectations at a deeper level.
We develop our games with a strong focus on visual appeal, intuitive mechanics and engaging pacing, all of which are highly valued by players across the region. Themes that resonate tend to be those that feel familiar and culturally relevant, whether that’s wildlife, adventure, or motifs that align with local interests.
From a feature perspective, players respond well to clear, rewarding mechanics that deliver consistent engagement. Our proprietary tools, such as Hold the Jackpot™, Cash Infinity™ and Chance Level™, are designed to enhance retention while keeping gameplay accessible and entertaining. Ultimately, it’s about blending innovation with familiarity to create experiences that feel both exciting and relevant.
At SBC Summit Americas, Wazdan will be presenting three key titles. What makes these games stand out for players across the Americas? What themes, features and mechanics go into each game, and why are they Americas-specific?
Each of the three titles we are showcasing has been developed with specific regional preferences in mind, ensuring broad appeal across different player segments in the Americas.
9 Balls taps into the universal popularity of football, offering a sports-adjacent experience that resonates strongly across both North and Latin America, particularly as excitement builds ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It combines familiar sporting energy with accessible slot gameplay.
Ox Coin™ is built around a theme that continues to perform exceptionally well in markets such as Brazil, where certain symbolic and visually rich motifs have strong player appeal. The game blends striking design with rewarding mechanics to drive engagement.
Mighty Crown™: Empire of Gold delivers a more immersive, adventure-led experience, inspired by the ancient setting. It focuses on scale, intensity and strong visual storytelling, which are key factors in attracting and retaining players in highly competitive LatAm markets.
Together, these titles demonstrate our ability to tailor content to different regional tastes while maintaining the high-performance standards operators expect.
Talking about football games, 9 Balls seems to fit naturally in this conversation. How did you develop this title with football fans in mind?
With 9 Balls, the goal was to capture the excitement, familiarity and mass appeal of football and translate that into a slot experience. Football is deeply embedded in the culture across the Americas, making it a natural foundation for a highly engaging title.
We focused on creating a game that is instantly recognisable and easy to engage with, while still offering enough depth to sustain long-term interest. The mechanics are designed to feel dynamic and rewarding, mirroring the energy of the sport itself.
Timing also played a role in the development strategy. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, there is a growing appetite for football-related content, and 9 Balls is positioned to capitalise on that momentum by offering operators a relevant and timely addition to their portfolios.
SBC Summit Americas is taking place in the US at Fort Lauderdale. Could you tell us a little bit about your strategy in the US? It seems a volatile region, with just seven markets online, albeit they seem active and lucrative.
The US is a highly complex and fragmented market, so our strategy is deliberately measured and long-term. Rather than treating it as a single entity, we approach it as a collection of individual jurisdictions, each with its own regulatory framework and player dynamics.
Our focus is on entering the right states at the right time, ensuring full compliance and working with strong local partners who understand their markets. This allows us to build a solid foundation rather than pursuing rapid but unsustainable expansion.
While the number of regulated markets is still relatively limited, they are highly active and commercially significant. As more states move towards regulation, we see considerable long-term potential and are positioning ourselves to grow alongside the market.
Has the rise of prediction markets and sweepstakes casinos impacted the online casino markets in the US over the last 18 months?
These alternative models have certainly contributed to increased competition and added more noise to the market. However, they do not fundamentally change the value proposition of regulated online casino content.
For operators working within licensed frameworks, certified, high-quality games remain essential. Players continue to seek trusted, secure and engaging experiences, which is where established suppliers play a key role.
From Wazdan’s perspective, our focus remains firmly on delivering premium, compliant content that supports sustainable growth within regulated environments. That consistency is what ultimately drives long-term success for both operators and suppliers.
What can our readers expect from Wazdan at SBC Summit Americas, and who will be on-site at the event?
At SBC Summit Americas, Wazdan will deliver a showcase centred on regional relevance, product quality and tangible operator value. Our presence will be brought to life through the ‘Gain City: Lauderdale’ campaign, an immersive concept designed to reflect both the energy of the event and the dynamic nature of the Americas market.
As the reigning Industry Innovation of the Year winner at the SBC Americas Awards, we are looking to build on that momentum and demonstrate how our approach continues to evolve.
Visitors to our stand can expect to see our three headline titles – 9 Balls, Ox Coin™ and Mighty Crown™: Empire of Gold – each tailored to meet specific regional demands.
On-site, our team will include Andrzej Hyla, Izabela Slodkowska-Popiel, Katarzyna Olewinska-Halupczok, Lukasz Trawka, Oliwia Owczarz and Norbert Grono, all available to discuss partnerships, product strategy and opportunities across the Americas.
