Africa
Going for posts, Unstoppable inclusion with Rugby Africa
Fatma’s journey in rugby began with coincidence, much like many of the greats in the game, Rugby has been a quest of growing one’s confidence. Back in 2015, without any prior experience in playing rugby, Fatma had only attended rugby games as a spectator, most of which were only played by men. After a life changing suggestion for a new hobby from a friend, she made it out to the rugby field behind her office and there her story began, with the support of other female players. When she picked up the oval ball for the first time, she knew that she had found what she had been searching for.
Despite champions of Rugby in Botswana like Fatma campaigning for its broad-based promotion, Rugby and more importantly as a sport for women, has largely remained a sport which exhibits great potential for growth. Fatma exclaims that in Botswana, Rugby for women is hardly discussed. On the other hand, this has not left her, and other Unstoppables demotivated, in fact the value of their work is the single greatest force behind the grassroots development of the game. Her work has been applauded by World Rugby and Rugby Africa, amongst many other organisations and institutions seeking to promote women empowerment. Through the work of Fatma and others, future sports women will join or learn from the sport.
In her own career as a player, Fatma has seen a marked improvement in the participation of more teams in the women’s league. With the number of players increasing over the years, she anticipates that there will be more athletes from school rugby, advancing to league rugby. Further to this she believes that there will also be more women as coaches and referees in the near future- unstoppable.
As part of her outreach efforts, Fatma launched the “A Try for Change”, which is a grassroots initiative to empower girls through the sport. She and others seek to conscientize young women and girls to grow their self-confidence, as a means of unlocking their true potential in society. Rugby is used as a medium of instruction, but the goal of her work is to empower attendees to become agents of change in their respective communities- on or off the field of play. The programme is targeted at primary school leavers and includes modules on introspective exercises, recreational activities with learning objectives, mentorships, as well as preparatory programs in enterprise development.
Coming from a conservative background which does not prioritise the involvement of women in sports, Fatma has vigorously worked to change perceptions of elders and community leaders, to work with their support. She has opened way for reports and researched findings, to find their way into the hands of key decision makers. Overall, the programme has received a positive reception from participants, teachers and the Botswana Rugby Union, and plans are already afoot to run ‘A Try for Change’ again in the new year.
Based on the feedback she has received working with young girls, Fatma used the global “Try & Stop Us” campaign to address the issue of Gender Based Violence affecting women and children inher community. As an Unstoppable leader, she is breaking the silence of abuse in communities by raising awareness around civil liberties and justice. She deeply empathises with young girls who are not taught about building their confidence in school, as the priority is generally put on teaching the standard course curriculum. Sessions with Fatma and her team have become safe and supportive structures for personal development in the schools and communities they serve.
Fatma believes that instilling self-confidence in young women sets them up for life, not only for them to be leaders in the future, but more importantly now, for them to be able to tackle head on collisions with Gender Based Violence and many other scourges of society.
President of the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee at Rugby Africa, Ms Paula Lancoemphasised that, “the WRAC and creation of its sub-committees will ultimately help increase awareness of women in rugby, attracting more tournaments and partnerships with sponsors, increasing the overall popularity of the game in the continent.”
According to Maha Zaoui, Women’s Manager Rugby Africa, “With the impact COVID-19 has placed globally, we are able to work with the sub-committees to overcome challenges the pandemic has placed on world sports and identifying untapped opportunities,”.
For Fatma, Rugby has been life changing not just for her career as a person, but more importantly it has empowered her as an individual to transform the lives of many. Her personal journey has become a reference point for others, who share in her passion and struggle for inclusion in different parts of their lives. Her outreach work has won many over and today has set the foundation for unstoppable future female leaders in Botswana and Africa at large, who have been transformed through the philosophy of the game.
Source: Rugby Africa.
Africa
Soft2Bet takes its first steps into Africa with a multi-year Turnkey deal with media leader Channels TV
Soft2Bet has signed a multi-year turnkey agreement with leading Nigerian media company Channels Media Group to provide its powerful platform solution and Managed Services in the largest regulated market in Africa.
As part of the deal Soft2Bet will power Waddibet, Channels Media Group’s online sports betting and casino offering, driving value for the group by managing its entire customer acquisition and retention strategy through its market-leading ‘Managed Services’ offering.
The partnership will make full use of Channels local knowledge and Soft2Bet’s online sports betting and casino expertise as the broadcaster leverages its reach to deploy Soft2Bet’s Motivational Engineering Gamification Application (MEGA), the gamification solution that enables operators to deliver market-leading ROI by providing quality content and driving player engagement in regulated jurisdictions.
Regulatory expansion
Soft2Bet’s regulatory footprint grew significantly in 2023 as the group entered major markets like Sweden, Denmark, Romania and Italy and in 2024 this has continued and it is set to forge ahead on this path with worldwide expansion into Africa’s largest economy and most populous country with Channels TV.
As the company executes on its strategic roadmap throughout 2025 it will continue integrating new partners to its B2B platform and adding to its content library to deliver the richest and most complete turnkey solution for its partners.
Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer of Soft2Bet, said: “As a group, Soft2Bet is truly delighted to announce its first African partnership with a high-calibre media partner like Channels TV. Nigeria is the continent’s largest economy and a vibrant market and the combination of Channels TV’s strong brand equity and our highly localised and powerful solutions will deliver strong growth in this major market.”
Tobi Momoh, Group Strategist & Consultant of Channels Media Group, added: “Our joining forces with Soft2Bet will see us blend our local expertise with their cutting-edge online sports betting and casino operations. We’re also highly excited at the thought of integrating Soft2Bet’s MEGA gamification and are confident in our ability to deliver premium content and elevate player engagement across this market. Together, we’re committed to setting new industry standards and establishing a leading iGaming brand that will provide unmatched entertainment to our players.”
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Africa
BetBlocker expands to support African markets with the launch of Bemba, Nyanja and Tonga language support
BetBlocker, the UK registered gambling charity that provides free, anonymous to use blocking software, had today announced the expansion of service to support users in the Bemba, Nyanja and Tonga languages.
With a rapidly expanding userbase, this is the first language support provided by BetBlocker to specifically target users in Africa. Using funding provided by Entain to support Zambian users, these three languages were selected and the most prominent indigenous languages, with almost 75% of the Zambian population speaking one of these dialects.
Working in partnership with Fresh Start Zambia, a charitable organisation working to minimise gambling harm, who supported the translation work, the three languages go live today.
Founder and Trustee for BetBlocker, Duncan Garvie, had this to say about the launch of the Bemba, Nyanja and Tonga versions of the app:
“For BetBlocker it’s critical to be able to reach users in a language that they can comfortably engage in to ensure a smooth and speedy set-up process. Native languages also help us step past cultural barriers, showing that BetBlocker isn’t simply available to these communities, it’s actively working to support them.
This is especially important in under-served and under-supported markets, like many of the African countries. The sad truth is that there simply aren’t the support services available for many African nationals that exist in more established jurisdictions. To my mind that makes it doubly important to ensure that BetBlocker is available and easily accessing.”
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Africa
Altenar obtains National Manufacturer licence in South Africa
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.
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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