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South Africa: Tribunal Grants Lottoland Interim Relief – Orders Google to Grant Lottoland Access to its Advertising Platform

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The Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) has issued an interim order directing Google Ireland Ltd and Google South Africa (Pty) Ltd (collectively, “Google”) to permit Lottoland South Africa (Pty) Ltd (“Lottoland”) to access its advertising services known as “Google Ads”, for so long as Google permits any firm in South Africa to utilise Google’s Ads Services to advertise fixed-odds betting on the outcome of lotteries. The Tribunal’s order applies for a period of six months from its date, or the conclusion of a hearing into the prohibited practices alleged by Lottoland, whichever is the earlier.

This platform enables advertisers to display ads to users who utilise Google search, with Google Ireland acting as the service provider for Google Ads in South Africa.

The Tribunal’s order follows an interim relief application by Lottoland, a licensed bookmaker, which, inter alia, offers fixed-odds bets on the outcome of various lotteries around the world, including the South African national lottery, sporting events and other betting contingencies. Lottoland competes with other licensed bookmakers in South Africa such as Hollywood Bets, World Sports Betting, Betway, Betfred (which owns Lottostar) and Netbet (which trades as Sportingbet).

In summary, Lottoland alleged that Google terminated its access to Google Ads without justification while allowing access to its competitors, causing it financial harm and distorting competition in the market that Lottoland operates in, to the detriment of consumers.

Google contended that Lottoland’s offering of fixed-odds bets on the outcome of the national lottery in South Africa contravenes sections 57(1) and 57(2)(g) of the Lotteries Act. It submitted that in terms of its online advertising policies, which are designed to protect users, restrictions are placed on the promotion of certain gambling activities. Of particular relevance, the promotion of lotteries is limited to state-licensed entities and that this restriction is in place to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Lotteries Act.

Reasons for Decision

A non-confidential version of the Tribunal’s reasons will be published in due course once any confidentiality claims in relation to the reasons have been finalised with the parties involved. In deciding the matter, the Tribunal considered the following three factors holistically, balancing each factor against the other to determine what is reasonable and just:

• Evidence relating to the alleged prohibited practice;

• The need to prevent serious or irreparable damage to the applicant (Lottoland); and

• The balance of convenience.

The post South Africa: Tribunal Grants Lottoland Interim Relief – Orders Google to Grant Lottoland Access to its Advertising Platform appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Kiron announces the launch of its new virtual football title, Turbo League, with SportPesa in Kenya and Tanzania

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Kiron announces the launch of its new virtual football title, Turbo League, with SportPesa in Kenya and Tanzania.

This launch marks a significant step in Kiron’s expansion across East Africa and reinforces its commitment to delivering compliant, high-performance content in regulated markets.

Turbo League offers a fast-paced football format designed for audiences who prefer short, high-frequency sessions. Built on Kiron’s established platform, the game supports casual and repeat play through quick outcomes and smooth, data-lite performance across devices and networks.

SportPesa, one of Africa’s most recognised betting operators, now offers Turbo League to customers in Kenya and Tanzania. The partnership highlights SportPesa’s continued focus on accessible, engaging entertainment and Kiron’s ability to scale content across mobile-first regions with strong sports cultures.

Steven Spartinos, Co-CEO at Kiron, said: “We are proud to bring Turbo League to SportPesa customers in Kenya and Tanzania. This collaboration deepens our relationship with one of the region’s leading operators and reflects the growing demand for high-speed, digital sports entertainment in East Africa.”

Kalina Krantova, Director at SportPesa, added: “Our priority is giving customers premium, entertaining experiences. Turbo League adds real value to our content line-up through its pace, accessibility, and consistent performance.”

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MulaSport launches Kiron’s data-lite Soccer Game across 5 countries in Africa

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MulaSport launches Kiron’s data-lite Soccer Game across 5 countries in Africa.  

Kiron has rolled out Mula League on MulaSport, bringing a data-lite virtual football format to one of Africa’s leading sportsbook operators. Mula League delivers the excitement of league soccer in a lightweight design that fits seamlessly into digital platforms and uses very little data.

Mula League captures the feel of real league soccer in a fast, three-minute match format with full season play and familiar betting markets. Its data-lite design ensures quick, reliable access for players and its easy integration has made it perfect for MulaSport.

Steven Spartinos, Co-CEO of Kiron, said: “This launch with MulaSport underlines how virtual football can be both innovative and accessible. Mula League delivers the full league experience in a data-lite format that is scalable for operators and engaging for players.

Desiree Scott, Group Head of Corporate Affairs at MulaSport, said: “Bringing Kiron’s game onto our site strengthens our sportsbook with content that is quick to access and easy to enjoy. The format fits seamlessly into the way our players engage with football, while reflecting our commitment to quality, choice, and responsibility.”

Mula League is now live on the MulaSport platform.

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Ghana’s NLA Introduces New Sticker to Clamp Down on Illegal Lotto Operators

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The fight against illegal lotto operations in Ghana continues unabated with a major push led by the Director-General and Management of the National Lottery Authority (NLA).

On August 26, the Authority organised a press conference at Brennan Hall to re-emphasise the ongoing registration exercise for Lotto Writers under registered Private Lotto Operators, a process initially launched on September 18, 2024, under the previous leadership.

As part of the initiative, unique identification stickers are being introduced for all Writers and Agents of Private Lotto Operators (PLOs). This measure is expected to reduce illegal activities in the industry and significantly boost the Authority’s revenue.

Addressing the press, the Director-General, Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Salam, noted the growing difficulty distinguishing legitimate writers from illegal ones. He explained that the introduction of the new sticker system would firmly establish the Authority’s regulatory role. Supported by the Operations and Compliance teams, this initiative will be enforced from September 1, 2025, to clamp down on unlicensed operators.

The Executive Secretary of the Concerned Lotto Agents and Writers Association (CLAAG), Mr. Kwaku Duah, welcomed the development, stressing that it was time for Registered Operators to benefit from the fees they had paid. He further cautioned that any Agent or Writer who fails to comply with the new regulations would not receive their support when caught by the law.

The sticker will display the Agent or Writer’s name, location, phone number and payment details, among other information. A QR code generated upon payment will allow the compliance team to easily verify duly licensed operators during their visits.

Mr. Andrew Tuah, Head of Operations, added that the registration fee of GHC 250 for Lotto Writers was to be renewed annually. In addition to the sticker’s robust security features, which cannot be duplicated, he announced a nationwide sensitisation exercise for the Lotto Writers to familiarise themselves with this app.

The press conference was also attended by the Deputy Director-General, Mr. Eric Yeboah Wadie, the Public Relations Officer of CLAAG, Mr. David Agbeviadeh, members of the Executive Management, Management and Staff of the Authority.

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