Amram Vita, Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Director LatAm at FIRST – Best in Sports, chats to SBC News about sports betting markets across Latin America, and how the company’s platform is one of the top choices for Brazilian operators.
SBC: FIRST has built significant momentum in LatAm over the past year. From your perspective, what have been the most important milestones and achievements in the region so far?
Amram Vita: Regulation has been the real turning point in LatAm. It clearly separated operators and suppliers who were prepared to raise standards from those who were not. Many simply fell out of the game. Those who adapted are now delivering Tier-One solutions, and that’s exactly where FIRST stands today.
At the same time, LatAm players are highly digital. They have endless entertainment options and if the experience doesn’t meet their expectations, they leave and never come back. Operators effectively get one real chance to retain their players.
Our role is to make sure that when players choose our clients, that choice becomes long-term. We focus on performance, stability, UX and scalability so operators don’t just launch successfully, but stay competitive over time.
SBC: LatAm is a highly competitive and fast-evolving market. What differentiates FIRST from other sportsbook technology providers operating in the region?
AV: The key differentiator is that we built it from local to global, not the other way around. Our product was developed based on local tastes, habits, betting behavior and consumption patterns. That’s why there’s no friction. Operators don’t just acquire technology from us; they acquire a sportsbook that is already aligned with their audience.
The result is immediate: higher engagement, stronger retention and smoother scalability from day one. We’re not adapting a generic product to LatAm. LatAm is part of our product DNA.
SBC: Brazil is now at the center of the LatAm conversation. What role does Brazil play in FIRST’s overall strategy, and why is it such a critical market for you?
AV: Brazil is the cornerstone of our LatAm operation. Today, more than 35 operators are running on FIRST sportsbook technology, including platform providers who rely on us to support new brands and large-scale operations.
This proves two things. First, we’re fully prepared to handle mass-market volume, including extreme traffic peaks during major sporting weekends.
Second, we’re ready for a regulated environment. Brazil gives FIRST the confidence to approach any regulated market globally. Volume, compliance and operational complexity are not a limitation for us; they’re already part of our daily operations.
SBC: Regulation has reshaped the Brazilian and wider LatAm landscape. How has regulation influenced your product development and the way you work with operators?
AV: Regulation is not something we adapt to later. It’s embedded in how we design the product and how we work with operators.
From reporting and compliance tools to player protection mechanisms and localised workflows, regulation is treated as a core layer of the sportsbook, not an add-on. This allows operators to focus on growth while we ensure that compliance and technical stability are always covered.
SBC: Looking beyond LatAm, how do you see FIRST evolving as a company over the next few years? What is the long-term vision you’re working toward?
AV: In 2025, we started expanding our regulatory footprint into European markets, and during 2026 we plan to extend this to between seven and ten additional regulated jurisdictions.
We operate with a dual advantage. On one side, we built a product designed for LatAm. On the other, our leadership team brings more than 20 years of experience in mature European markets, and our technology already powers some of the largest global operators.
The long-term vision is clear: we want FIRST to become the go-to sportsbook technology provider for operators aiming to scale in regulated markets worldwide.
SBC: 2026 is shaping up to be a key year for the industry. What can we expect from FIRST in terms of launches, partnerships, and presence at major industry events?
AV: For LatAm, the next major step is delivering a real omnichannel solution that actually works. This has already been tested and will be publicly presented in Barcelona. It will be another major driver of expansion in the region.
From a commercial perspective, we’re constantly on the move. My team attends an average of three industry events per month, combined with ongoing visits to clients, partners and operators exploring a migration to our technology.
Being close to our clients is not optional for us. It’s how we continuously improve the product and support their operational needs in real time.
SBC: The second half of 2025 generated strong expectations around FIRST’s growth. Going into Q1 2026, what results or indicators will define success for you?
AV: We have sports in our DNA, which means a winning mentality. The day after winning our SBC Award, our focus was already on how to win it again next year.
Success for us means one thing: when an operator thinks about which sportsbook will help them become a Tier One brand, there should be only one name that comes to mind. If that happens, everything else follows.
Amram Vita, Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Director LatAm at FIRST – Best in Sports, chats to SBC News about sports betting markets across Latin America, and how the company’s platform is one of the top choices for Brazilian operators. SBC: FIRST has built significant momentum in LatAm over the past year. From your perspective,