Emerging-markets gaming aggregator scoops prestigious prize at key East African summit in Tanzania

QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for all emerging markets, has won the Leader in Online Casino award for 2025 at the annual Sports Betting East Africa (SBEA+) Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, fending off strong competition from other leading lights, such as Pragmatic Play, SA Gaming and DST Gaming.

This sought-after award is perennially given to the best all-round online casino platform provider in the African space, one that has tailored innovative solutions for the East African igaming industry over the past 12 months and excelled in user engagement and sustained growth.

These SBEA+ Eventus Awards always recognise excellence and advancements in the East African igaming and sports betting sector. And this year was no different, celebrating a plethora of pioneers from outstanding operators, through progressive technological innovators and regulatory leaders, and on to distributors with the requisite scope and localised expertise to reliably ensure the provision of the most engaging and varied content for the planet’s second-most populous continent.

QTech Games’ CEO, Philip Doftvik, said: “We’re thrilled to have walked off with another notable award for the best overall digital casino provision in East Africa. Being shortlisted in such good company was already a result, but victory provides the real validation, particularly after running a great campaign at recent Eventus events in Africa.

“This win is testimony to our diligent team at QTech, and to the constantly growing group of innovative suppliers that our offering represents. It’s a truly collaborative effort. We’ve made our name as the go-to aggregator for emerging markets and we remain committed to rolling out high-quality content that drives revenue for our worldwide partners across Africa and beyond.”

Cross Switch, a provider of class-leading payment solutions, has strengthened its African presence by officially launching services in Kenya and partnering with licensed local payment provider Pesawise.

This collaboration makes the most of Pesawise’s solid regulatory standing and trusted reputation, allowing Cross Switch to establish it’s footprint and, together with Pesawise, immediately deliver robust payment solutions to businesses, merchants and charitable organisations throughout Kenya.

Cross Switch brings to the partnership a highly scalable global payments infrastructure, allowing merchants simple and frictionless acceptance across multiple payment channels, including Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, mobile money and bank platforms.

Through Cross Switch’s unified platform, businesses can now take advantage of simplified payment processing, significantly reduced costs and faster transaction settlements.

The Cross Switch solution is tailored to support businesses of every shape and size, driving financial inclusion while at the same time empowering social impact organisations.

Numerous merchants across multiple sectors, including hospitality, e-commerce and delivery services and crypto (in approved markets) are already using Cross Switch’s innovative solutions on the African Continent and across Latin America. The confidence the Kenyan market has already shown in Cross Switch has already shown immediate effect in Kenya with the with Pesawise partnership.

Cross Switch has a powerful track record of success, and it relies on Pesawise, a nimble locally licensed payment provider with a young and dynamic management team, to contribute meaningfully to Cross Switch’s growth ambitions and customer-focused philosophy.

Cross Switch CEO Tim Davis said: “During the establishment phase of this partnership it is refreshing to see a shared common set of values with Pesawise, to provide our customers with best-in-class service levels and straightforward solutions. And a common mission to democratize technology and drive social impact across Africa. With their exceptional team and proven ability to provide relevant value-added services, we believe Pesawise will excel in the fast-moving fintech space.”

Pesawise, a fully regulated and authorised Payment Service Provider, is in good standing with the Central Bank of Kenya, ensuring rigorous compliance and secure handling of merchant funds in trusted Tier-1 banks.

Jamal Khan, CEO of Pesawise, said: “We’re thrilled to take this next step in our journey with Cross Switch as our technology partner. Their deep knowledge and robust technology solutions will enable us to provide innovative solutions tailored to the needs of emerging markets. Together, we aim to strengthen the digital payments ecosystem in Kenya. We’ve already secured key wins together—including supporting merchants like Glovo Kenya—through a combination of Cross Switch’s expertise and our dedicated local team.”

Extended partnership announced ahead of next week’s Unity Cup tournament in London

Leading African sportsbook Bet9ja has renewed its support for the Nigeria national team ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Bet9ja collaborated with Nigerian Football Federation partners Sportdotcom for AFCON 2023 to launch the first ‘Let’s Do It Again’ campaign – in reference to the fact Nigeria are hunting for their fourth continental title.

The partnership has now been extended for AFCON 2025 after Nigeria booked their place at the tournament, which kicks off in Morocco in December. The Super Eagles have been drawn alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda in Group C of the tournament.

The announcement comes ahead of next week’s Unity Cup tournament, in which Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago will go head to head at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium. The tournament sees semi-final matches on May 27 and May 28, ahead of the final on May 31.

Bet9ja is Nigeria’s leading sportsbook and is powered by Logifuture, global leader in B2B operations providing state-of-the-art iGaming products and services.

Bet9ja chairman Kunle Soname said: “We’re proud to renew our support for the Super Eagles as they ramp up their preparations for another tilt at the AFCON title. After lifting the trophy in 1980, 1994 and 2013 we’re backing them to go all the way again – Let’s Do It Again for 2025!

“Football is a unifying force across Africa and our partnership reflects our deep commitment to the game, the fans, and the future of Nigerian sport. This renewed partnership is about more than just brand alignment – it’s about national pride and shared ambition.

“By supporting the Super Eagles once again, Bet9ja aims to rally fans across Nigeria and beyond, reigniting the spirit of belief and unity that football brings to the nation.”

Toyosi Oyetunji, Senior Partner at Sportdotcom Limited, said: “At Sportdotcom, we are proud to once again partner with Bet9ja on the Let’s Do It Again campaign for the Super Eagles as they head to AFCON 2025 in Morocco. The buzz we created together during the last tournament was only the beginning. This time, we’re taking it to the next level – with more energy, more passion, and an unshakable belief in our team. As the Super Eagles chase a historic fourth title, we’re rallying Nigerians everywhere to dream big and stand united. Let’s Do It Again… Naija 4 the win!”