Yana Mihaleva: “In 2024, EGT reaffirmed its leadership positions in the region in both the land-based and online sectors”

In this interview with Yana Mihaleva, Director of Central America and the Caribbean at EGT, the executive discusses the gaming provider's expansion plans in the region, highlights the products drawing the most consumer attention, and offers insights on the company's latest installations.

Ms. Mihaleva, you are the Director of EGT’s office in Panama, responsible for Central America and the Caribbean. Tell us more about the most significant installations you have made in the last 12 months.

I am glad to share that we remained true to tradition last year and carried out numerous installations in the region. We had the opportunity to strengthen our valuable long-term partnerships with local key players. Among them, Pasha Global in Suriname, BBT and Cirsa in Panama stood out in particular. Each of these operators enriched their casino floors with over 100 of our bestselling slot cabinets, equipped with EGT’s most successful multigame and jackpot products.

In addition, we expanded our presence in Curacao by installing 80 machines in the last 12 months.

Sint Maarten was the first market where we accomplished a WAP installation, thanks to which now the guests to Atlantis’ local gaming venues can try their luck with Bell Link 1. We are also going to launch a WAP installation with BBT in Panama very soon. At first, we are planning to install 40 machines with Bell Link 2, and by the end of the year, we expect the number of linked cabinets to reach and even exceed 100. We are also planning another WAP installation in Jamaica, including a combination of Bell Link 1 and 2, which is scheduled for next month.

Which products have been generating the most interest among players in the region?

It won’t surprise anyone that our best product for the past year was the Bell Link jackpot with its Bell Link 1 and 2 multigames. Since its official launch 3 years ago, this product has consistently been among our top performers, continuing to gain popularity among players not only in the region but also globally.

Our latest multigame series, Supreme Selection, is also performing very well. We have recently installed the Mega Supreme Fruits Selection mix in Suriname, and it has been demonstrating excellent results.

In addition to expanding in the land-based sector, you have also announced integrations of EGT Digital’s products in the region. Can you share with us what their performance is?

EGT Digital’s iGaming solutions are also very popular among the local gaming audience. Over the past year, we have integrated our slot games into a number of betting sites in Suriname, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. I am happy to say that operators and players highly appreciate our gaming content everywhere, and the number of online casinos offering it is constantly growing.

How do you assess EGT’s participation in this year’s ICE, which took place in Barcelona? Was it fruitful for the region you are responsible for?

I would assess the company’s performance as very fruitful overall. We achieved very good results for Central America and the Caribbean in particular.

Our latest series of slot cabinets, Supreme, was a great success. The S 32-32 St received extremely positive feedback, and the first large-scale orders were placed during the event. Our partners from Pasha Global will supply their casinos with 160 machines of the model, and Amenable Habitat Limited Club Royal Caribbean will also install 60 cabinets.

We have also strengthened our successful cooperation with another of our long-term partners - Princes Group, which placed a significant order for 350 machines for the Caribbean.

Last but not least, Laxford will enhance its customers’ choice in Suriname with 45 EGT cabinets, with their number expected to double by the end of the year.

What’s next for EGT Panama by the end of the year?

I think we have a dynamic and interesting 2025 ahead of us, filled with both many installations and high-potential exhibitions. As I mentioned, we started the year off strong with ICE Barcelona, and I really hope we can keep that momentum going.

The next show we will attend is SAGSE Panama, taking place from May 6th to 8th. Of course, we will not miss G2E Las Vegas in the second half of the year, which is also one of our most important and traditionally strong events.