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Africa

East Africa’s iGaming Industry A Prime Opportunity For Growth And Expansion

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East Africa is one of the regions in Africa that is garnering the most attraction when it comes to the betting and gambling industry. We meet Alessandro Pizzolotto, STM Gaming’s CEO and Certified Partner of BtoBet in Africa what he thinks about the subject and how the region could further evolve in the short to medium term.

Is it your opinion that sports betting is more rampant in Eastern Africa? Why?

There is no doubt that the popularity of sports betting in the whole of Africa derives from the huge popularity of sports across the entire continent. The popularity of sports, especially football, has been further highlighted in recent years with the huge success of African players in major European leagues. One could make reference to Napoli’s strong Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, amongst many others.

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Nonetheless with numbers at hand, a report published by Dublin based research firm “Research and Report” clearly indicates that the iGaming industry in the Sub-Saharan region is seeing an increase in the number of millenials who make use of mobile phones to place bets. The report states that the eastern region in Africa, with Kenya and Uganda as the primary examples, is at the forefront of the continent’s gambling market.

How did weak laws and regulations offer the perfect environment for the growth of gambling in Eastern Africa?

I wouldn’t state that East African markets are afflicted by weak regulations. The M-Pesa and SMS payments conundrum that resulted in Kenya last year was in effect a demonstration that local regulations do work, and in blocking these vital payment systems to the country’s largest operators the Kenyan government was effectively cutting the operators from millions of customers.

Whilst one can argue to great length regarding the escalating enforcement measures that were introduced by the government, this does not in itself demonstrate a weak regulatory framework that would benefit black or grey markets.

Does East Africa have more nations that participate in sports betting than any other African region? 

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To understand why the iGaming industry has registered stronger growth in Eastern Africa than in other regions one has to understand the payment gateways and services available, which are fundamental to the industry. East Africa is undoubtedly at the forefront of the entire continent when it comes to payment gateways, especially mobile money. It is a known fact that from a financial inclusion perspective Africa is still lagging behind more established markets, such as Europe.

Yet when it comes to East Africa, the region – with countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda – is a global leader in regards to the highest per capita registered and active mobile money accounts, and volume of mobile money. The region has the fastest growth in mobile money accounts and in each country the number of mobile money accounts surpassed the number of bank accounts.

The phenomenon of mobile money has been ongoing in the East African region since 2007. The roots of mobile money lie in Kenya with the launch of M-Pesa by Vodacom . With the lack of financial infrastructure in the region and the cost of mobile phones dropping rapidly in that same period, mobile money spread quickly through the rest of East Africa.

If one were to compare two leading markets in Africa – Kenya from the East African region and Nigeria from its Western counterpart – one would find huge discrepancies from this perspective. Whilst in Kenya 56% of the population aged over 15 years have an account with a financial institution, on the other hand 73% report having a mobile money account. At the same time the situation cannot be more different in Nigeria, with 39% of the population having an account with a financial institution and only 5.6% having a mobile money account. This obviously has a very strong impact on the iGaming industry.

Nonetheless this situation is set to change in the short to medium term, especially with the continuous expansion of companies such as MTN Africa and Airtel Africa across the whole continent. Such an expansion will pave the way for a true pan-African payment gateway facilitating money transfers, deposits and withdrawals when it comes to the regional iGaming industry.

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Africa

Altenar obtains National Manufacturer licence in South Africa

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Leading sportsbook provider prepares to debut in African market after rigorous certification process

Altenar, a leading sportsbook and iGaming software provider, has successfully obtained a licence from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB), marking a significant milestone in its expansion into the burgeoning South African market.

Altenar is now a registered and licenced National Manufacturer in the thriving jurisdiction, following a rigorous process. During the initial stages, several stakeholders were required to complete detailed KYC and compliance checks, as well as fill in significant paperwork to demonstrate the provider’s suitability.

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This latest market debut demonstrates Altenar’s position as a sought-after partner with a flexible and localised solution. The opportunity opens up the doors to further expansion on the African continent and demonstrates its appeal to operators across multiple continents.

Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “Altenar is delighted to receive our licence to supply our sportsbook solution into South Africa. It is another significant step for us globally and is a key target market for us to further establish our product. We’re confident we have all the necessary product features and quality to offer the best solution on the market. This is across core sports such as football and racing, as well as offering customers the ease to prioritise key local content and sports via our highly flexible UI/UX.

“There are also a variety of ways that we support seamless cross-sell between products, which in a market such as South Africa, with the popularity of all verticals, will stand us and our customers in good stead. We are looking forward to the future in South Africa and the wider African market.”

The post Altenar obtains National Manufacturer licence in South Africa appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BMM Testlabs Promotes Obed Mathabe to Vice President ─ Operations, Africa

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BMM Testlabs (“BMM” or “the Company”), the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance services, today announced the promotion of Obed Mathabe to Vice President ─ Operations, Africa. This promotion recognizes Mathabe’s outstanding contributions and leadership in the gaming industry, as well as his proven ability to drive operational excellence across the African region.

In his new role, Mathabe will oversee all operations within the African market, continuing to lead strategic initiatives and enhance BMM Testlabs’ service offerings. His extensive experience in operational management, business development, and regulatory compliance positions him as an ideal leader for the Company’s growth in Africa.

Kirk White, President, Land-Based Gaming & Inspections at BMM Testlabs, said, “Obed has been instrumental in driving BMM Testlabs’ success in Africa, and we are confident that his leadership in this new role will continue to propel the company forward. His blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and leadership experience makes him an asset for BMM as we continue to grow and expand our presence across the continent.”

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Mathabe has a long history with BMM Testlabs, having most recently served as Operations Manager at BMM Testlabs South Africa. In this capacity, he successfully planned and directed operational activities to meet the Company’s business objectives in technical services, local management information systems (MIS), and project office administration. His ability to balance strategic planning with day-to-day leadership has been a key factor in his success.

“I am thrilled to take on this new role at BMM Testlabs and further contribute to the success of BMM,” Mathabe said. “Having worked closely with our teams across Africa, I’m committed to expanding our footprint, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring we continue to deliver world-class services to our clients.”

Additionally, Mathabe has held key roles within BMM Testlabs, including Business Development Manager, where he collaborated with senior leadership to create and implement market access and sales strategies for the African region. He also served as Technical Compliance Manager, providing expert technical compliance consultancy services while working closely with regulators and clients to expand BMM’s services.

In other career roles, Mathabe was the Founder and Director of Gaming Sight (Pty) Ltd., where he played a pivotal role in growing the company and establishing it as a leader in the African gaming market.

He also held influential roles at Tsogosun and Royal Caribbean International, where he managed technical departments, ensured regulatory compliance, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

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Mathabe’s promotion comes as part of BMM Testlabs’ ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team and enhancing its operational capabilities in key markets. With his vast experience, Mathabe will help guide BMM Testlabs toward maintaining its position as a global leader in online and land-based compliance testing, inspections, training, and support for regulators and operators.

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SYNOT Games Expands to the Nigerian Market Through a Strategic Partnership with betBonanza

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SYNOT Games, a leading global casino game developer, has announced its expansion into the Nigerian iGaming market through a new partnership with betBonanza.

As a result of this collaboration, betBonanza players will have access to SYNOT Games‘ acclaimed portfolio of over 150 unique and engaging titles. The initial launch will feature ten highly popular games, including Aztec Jaguar Megaways, All Ways Queen, Forest Maiden, and Rio Mystery Night. The operator will continue to expand its offering, adding five new games each week until the full portfolio becomes available.

By joining forces, SYNOT Games and betBonanza aim to meet the growing demand for premium gaming content in Nigeria’s thriving market, setting a new standard for entertainment and innovation.

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Unity Nwanze, Business Operations Manager at betBonanza, said: “We are excited to expand our Casino game portfolio with the addition of SYNOT Games! It’s a great opportunity to present our players with fun games and thrilling ways to win. We look forward to a rewarding partnership.”

Kristína Ďaďová, Sales Manager at SYNOT Games, added: “Our goal is to provide the highest level of entertainment and by partnering with betBonanza, we will be able to offer top-quality games to a whole new audience. I believe this cooperation will strengthen our position in a market as demanding as Nigeria.”

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