

Africa
Why your next million players are in MEA and Turkey, and how to access them
Onur Ergüney – Director of Global Partnerships for Gaming & e-Sports, TPAY MOBILE
COVID 19 has been the catalyst for the biggest transformation to people’s lives in recent history. Little else has brought on such seismic shifts in the way people work, play, communicate and live, since the creation of smartphones themselves.
The fourth industrial revolution has arrived faster than anyone could have predicted, especially in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Turkey. This combined region has a population of over 1.6 billion people, a fast-expanding middle class, and, through the power of mobile technology, is more connected than ever.
A long-standing barrier for scaled-up mobile games distribution in the region – the lack of access to banking infrastructure for subscriptions and the purchasing of games and in-app-purchases (IAPs) – is falling fast. By 2025, 834 million people across MEA will be mobile internet users, and through direct carrier billing (DCB) technology and eMoney wallets, they will have the freedom to spend on gaming like never before.
Untapped opportunity
A relatively untapped marketplace of a billion+ potential players is powering up and set to flip your revenue forecasts upside down if you play your cards right. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for instance, the games industry is currently valued at $4.5 billion according to Frost & Sullivan. That may be just 4% of the global total, but, it is the world’s fastest-growing region, with a year-on-year growth rate of 25%. On a grander scale, MENA makes up 80% of this growth whilst the other 20% is amassed in Sub Saharan Africa. According to one prediction from GSMA, the region will count for 709 million individual SIM connections by 2025.
In other words, Mobile is everything across the MEA and Turkey, and this should be explored as your next frontier of growth. However, you need to know how to access it.
Access is key, and access is different
Accessing these new markets isn’t simply a case of re-branding what has worked in the past. Your games may well be attractive in these new markets but the systems and processes that power them, and importantly, monetise them, won’t be the same. There are different rules and regulations for advertising, for example, and variations on what purchases or transactions do and don’t constitute gambling. Direct debits for app stores or card payments for IAPs are not common practice in these territories. Across the 20+ countries that make up MEA and Turkey, there is a rich tapestry of cultural differences that result in different ways of purchasing digital goods like games.
Establish partnerships to access these players
To turn your players into payers, the best advice I can give is to establish strategic partnerships – find experts on the ground that can work with you. You are no longer just a games publisher, with your partner network you become a FinTech, a games publisher, a games developer and even an evangelist for a new world of mobile gaming. Ecosystems are everything.
The global language is APIs, not Esperanto
Each territory has its quirks and opportunities, and only by having knowledgeable inside help will you be able to truly navigate the differences in approaching sales and distributions of your titles. Understanding the common services in territories is key for traction, an example being that the Middle East has widely adopted DCB (Direct Carrier Billing) for mobile payments and subscriptions in recent years, whereas mobile wallets are the transaction tool of choice in Subsaharan Africa.
Games developers want simple integrations that cover the back-end systems. If you find the team that can provide that, they will keep up with evolving regulations in new territories, keeping your games online. This allows you to do what you do best: making high quality, desirable games.
Games publishers expect great user flows. What makes games more interesting than other e-commerce platforms is that they are live systems. The user makes purchase decisions in real-time, while remaining within the game. This is also what creates complexity when it comes to transactions, but there is an answer. The key is to integrate a seamless payment flow within the game, minimising player disruption.
Find an ecosystem that works across borders. One thing that is global is the API. If you want to successfully break into these emerging markets, you need to build a partnership network that understands the intricacies of these technologies.
Should you wait?
Simply put, no.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest-growing market of all for mobile-penetration, it would be an oversight to not properly explore the MEA and Turkey as a key element of future games monetisation for the future.
MEA and Turkey host a relatively untapped market for games publishing and eSports monetisation, not to mention a fast-growing pool of local influencers – now is the time to make inroads into the gaming sector in such markets. It has been said that the early bird catches the worm – this wisdom is just as true today.
The previously non-existent infrastructure required to sell and monetise mobile games has been replaced. Suddenly, the opportunity is there for the taking. Venture into these new territories, and the partnerships you form now will help grow your company and its market share exponentially, by creating opportunities to engage new gamers. Whilst boosting your business into the next 50 years, you have an opportunity to entertain many millions of people who are fast to become your next loyal, player base.
Africa
African iGaming Alliance Appoints Former Botswana Regulator Peter Kesitilwe as CEO

The African iGaming Alliance (AIA) announced the appointment of Peter Kesitilwe, former CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority, as its first Chief Executive Officer.
The Alliance – founded by betPawa, Betway, 888Africa and Sportybet – was established to promote a responsible, well-regulated online betting and gaming industry across Africa. Its mission is to advance fair competition, consumer protection and sustainable regulatory and tax frameworks that support both growth and responsibility.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the AIA’s first CEO. I look forward to working with regulators and policymakers to build a vibrant, sustainable & competitive industry that upholds the highest standards of responsible gambling and consumer protection,” said Kesitilwe.
Board members welcomed Kesitilwe’s appointment:
Anthony Prissman, Betway Africa : “Peter’s strong regulatory background and leadership experience bring immediate credibility to the AIA. We are excited to work with him to help shape a responsible industry across the continent.”
Dan Thomson, betPawa : “Peter’s appointment reflects the strength of the AIA and our mission to build a vibrant, well-regulated sector throughout Africa.”
Gregory Parsons, SportyBet: “The AIA was created to support balanced regulation and raise standards for responsible gambling. Peter’s leadership marks the beginning of this journey.”
Christopher Coyne, 888Africa: “Following a rigorous recruitment process, Peter’s vision for the future of iGaming in Africa stood out. We look forward to working with him and engaging stakeholders to deliver that vision.”
The AIA aims to be the voice of the online gaming industry in Africa, fostering collaboration between operators, regulators and governments to create a transparent, responsible and commercially sustainable sector.
The post African iGaming Alliance Appoints Former Botswana Regulator Peter Kesitilwe as CEO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Africa
Racing1 is exhibiting for the first time at the Grand Prix D’Afrique

Full-service hub, uniting four content leaders of racing in 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp, is set to reinforce its existing racing alliance with SOREC at key Casablanca summit
Racing1, the brand name for the newly formed Strategic Alliance between 1/ST CONTENT, Arena Racing Company (ARC), Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and Tabcorp, is making its conference debut at the Grand Prix D’Afrique (11-13 September, Casablanca), thanks to its partners at SOREC (Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval).
The Grand Prix D’Afrique (GPA) has quickly become a must-attend annual event for African lotteries, organized by SOREC and run in conjunction with the African Lotteries Association (ALA). After three successful editions in Marrakesh, the GPA has now moved to Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, for this upcoming renewal.
Racing1’s compelling daily timetable of engaging racing action from around the world (UK, North and South America, Turkey, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) boasts a 24/7 chronology to seamlessly complement any lottery or sportsbook programme across any time-zone, supplying global partners with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content at varied viewing windows throughout diverse territories.
Via the Racing1 brand, 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp are deploying their combined expertise to deliver targeted, localised solutions that appeal to assorted audiences, whether they’re already familiar with racing, or new to the sport and in need of more educational content.
Simon Fraser, spokesperson for Racing1, said: “It’s great to welcome industry delegates to our new stand, where we are demonstrating how Racing1 has conveniently crystallised a once-entangled worldwide web of racing rights into one package, enabling simpler consumption which is crucial in emerging markets.
“Via Racing1’s subsidiary product, Racing1 Markets, we can also demonstrate our one-stop-shop 24/7 racing solution, available in one simple contract and integration via our new iFrame, or existing API solution.
“Racing can be complicated, particularly for those unfamiliar with the space, and a key driver behind Racing1 is to simplify integration and contractual efforts for customers, whilst offering a fully outsourced 24/7 industry-leading offering direct to platforms and operators. It also signals Racing1’s wider intent to return better value to racing’s key stakeholders through more international deals, not merely through the domestic operators where racing is seen as a more traditionally consumed sport.
“Stop by our stand to see how Racing1 benefits consumers and operators alike – with a complete racing package via one contract and one integration.”
The post Racing1 is exhibiting for the first time at the Grand Prix D’Afrique appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Africa
BetKing Renews Ikorodu City FC Partnership for 2025/26 NPFL Season

BetKing, Nigeria’s leading sports betting and digital entertainment brand under KingMakers, has renewed its official partnership with Ikorodu City Football Club for the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
This marks the third consecutive year of collaboration between both organisations, highlighting a shared commitment to grassroots development, youth empowerment and the growth of Nigerian football.
Since the partnership began in 2023, Ikorodu City FC, popularly known as the Oga Boys, has risen rapidly through the ranks, earning promotion to the NPFL in 2024 and finishing an impressive fourth place in their debut 2024/25 campaign.
Their season was highlighted by a record-breaking 6–0 victory over Katsina United, one of the most dominant results in NPFL history.
BetKing’s support for Nigerian sports extends far beyond football. The company recently commissioned a modern mini sports complex at Ifako Ijaiye, already serving over 400,000 community members, including neighbouring communities.
The post BetKing Renews Ikorodu City FC Partnership for 2025/26 NPFL Season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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