Connect with us

Africa

World Sports Bodies raise Concern Over Kenya Copyright Bill

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the WIPO Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works

A coalition of global sports bodies has written an open letter to the Kenyan government, expressing concern about the Copyright Amendment Bill currently before parliament, and its potential impact on the availability of international sports content in Kenya.

The Sports Rights Owner Coalition (SROC) is an alliance of more than 50 international and national sport bodies, representing some of the world’s leading sport codes and competitions – including the English Premier League, the FA Cup, Wimbledon, MotoGP, and the Rugby World Cup.

In the recent letter, signed by Chairman Mark Lichtenstein, the SROC says its members are “extremely concerned” at changes that will be made to Kenya’s Copyright Act if the Copyright Amendment Bill becomes law.

The SROC is particularly worried about proposals to repeal sections 35B, 35C and 35D of the Copyright Act, which allow for take-down notices issued to internet-based service provider platforms which enable content piracy to flourish.

A take-down notice is a widely used remedy employed by copyright owners worldwide, compelling online platforms to rapidly remove content from their websites if it is suspected that the content infringes copyright.

The Kenya Copyright Board (KeCOBO) champion of the Partners Against Piracy (PAP) initiative, has come out in support of the SROC letter.

“Take-down notices are a critical tool for copyright holders and related rights holders to fight digital content piracy by controlling the distribution and economic viability of their work and how it is accessed online,” says Edward Sigei, KeCOBO Executive Director.

“Across the world, they help to safeguard the intellectual property rights of sports rights owners. If rights owners cannot request that pirated sports content is taken down immediately, that will threaten the future of live sports broadcasts in Kenya. Why would international sports media allow sports broadcasts in Kenya, if they have no way of stopping them from being pirated!”

Kenya’s 2019 Copyright Amendment Bill, incorporates principles from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Internet Treaties of 1996, aimed at preventing unauthorised access to and use of creative works. Takedown notices are among these principles and are necessary tools to enforce copyright protections for rights owners and distributors.

If the Amendment Bill is passed into law, Kenya will be out of step with global trends, the average Kenyan will lose out on great sports entertainment. A further negative consequence of this Amendment Bill passing would be the reputational and economic investment quagmire it would create is jeopardising Kenya’s ability to renew participation in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Agreement (AGOA) program, as one of the additional provisions of renewal requires a demonstrated commitment to copyright protection as a prerequisite to signing. Repealing section 35 of the Copyright Act, would do the exact opposite and threaten investor confidence.

The SROC points out that in Europe, policy makers are strengthening not weakening the effectiveness of take-down notices, particularly regarding live content. New proposals to protect live content more effectively in Europe are expected in the first half of 2022.

“Were the Copyright Amendment Bill to be enacted, it could have devastating consequences for both the Kenyan economy and Kenyan consumers,” says the SROC letter. “Rights holders from sport and other creative industries are extremely unlikely to license their content in a jurisdiction that effectively legitimises piracy. Consumers would therefore be deprived from watching their favourite sports and television shows, and leave Kenya isolated on the global copyright stage.”

The coalition – which includes the English FA, UEFA, the IAAF, and the International Tennis Federation – goes on to ask that the proposed new law be urgently reconsidered “so as not to harm Kenyan consumers and threaten the availability of sports and entertainment content in Kenya.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Africa

SOFTSWISS Launches First South African Project with Mzansibet

Published

on

softswiss-launches-first-south-african-project-with-mzansibet
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, proudly announces the launch of its major South African project with Mzansibet. It marks the first project in the country to utilise both the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook and the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.

According to the recently released South Africa: iGaming Market Overview 2025 by SOFTSWISS, the country’s iGaming sector is growing at an impressive annual rate of 20–25%, driven by increasing mobile penetration. In line with this trend and evolving player needs, SOFTSWISS strongly focuses on mobile optimisation across its platforms, enabling seamless and enjoyable gaming experiences for Mzansibet players.

The launch in South Africa, ensuring full compliance with local technical standards, required meticulous preparation. SOFTSWISS products – including its sports betting software and online casino platform – underwent rigorous certification with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), one of the most reputable and globally recognised independent testing laboratories in the iGaming industry. Following this process, the solutions were officially approved for local operation by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board – a respected and influential regulator in the region – affirming the high quality and compliance of SOFTSWISS software.

Max Trafimovich, International Non-Executive Director at SOFTSWISS, shares: “Mzansibet entered the market with a bold ambition to become a top-tier brand – and we are not only proud to support that vision from day one, but also well-equipped to ensure its sustainable growth. Leveraging our global and local expertise, we provide the technical, business, and service tools necessary for a smooth launch and scalable development. This is made possible thanks to our robust and stable architecture with 99.999% uptime and a flexible platform ecosystem. In addition, the brand launched a nationwide TV advertising campaign and has already attracted tens of thousands of players across the country – a powerful testament to its growing presence and trust.”

In addition to backend certification, the SOFTSWISS team invested heavily in frontend localisation to align with the partner’s vision and market requirements. The Mzansibet project has been fully adapted to meet South African player behaviour and betting patterns.

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS Launches First South African Project with Mzansibet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Africa

Rise & Hustle launches tap-to-earn street game platform in Nigeria with real-world rewards

Published

on

rise-&-hustle-launches-tap-to-earn-street-game-platform-in-nigeria-with-real-world-rewards
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Rise & Hustle, Africa’s next-gen tap-to-earn gaming operator, has launched its reward-based mobile street game series in the Nigerian market. Running on its proprietary platform, Rise & Hustle gives players the opportunity to rise from Hustler to Kingpin, earning Bucks during the grind to unlock real-world rewards.

Created for Africa’s mobile-first generation, Rise & Hustle enables taps and achievements to be redeemed for mobile airtime, tangible rewards & Rise Tokens – all without spending a cent. The portfolio of free-to-play games and lottery products is designed in-house, giving Rise & Hustle the ability to deliver energetic and competitive experiences that appeal to players.

The company was co-founded by Anthony Broadhurst, a key player in Africa’s gaming and crypto world, and Josh Jones, an experienced iGaming entrepreneur with a stellar record of building successful platforms.

Rise Tokens are crypto-backed rewards on the Binance Smart Chain and power a real economy that rewards loyalty. Squads and community are central to gameplay with leaderboards, status, and real-time tournaments making each session count.

Embracing AI technology, local partnerships, and sharp design, Rise & Hustle is on the path to becoming Africa’s most culturally relevant gaming operator. A full Real Money Gaming offering is due for launch imminently.

Beyond Nigeria, expansion plans include Kenya and Ghana, with launches scheduled for completion by the close of 2025. As Rise & Hustle scales, it will strengthen collaborations with mobile networks, pioneering brands, and influencers to accelerate mass adoption. With its bold brand, crypto-powered rewards, and laser focus on mobile-first entertainment, Rise & Hustle’s platform is the future.

Rise & Hustle CEO and co-founder Josh Jones commented: “Rise & Hustle is flipping the script on how value is created for an entire generation’s time and talent spent on mobile games. We’re here to turn everyday entertainment into real-world rewards. This isn’t just a game – we’re building a cultural movement where players grind together to reach the top through ambition and hustle.”

The post Rise & Hustle launches tap-to-earn street game platform in Nigeria with real-world rewards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Africa

Shaden Dre Shabalala (Captain of the MSSA Protea Esports Team for MLBB) will lead his brave, and dedicated, team against Madagascar on 23 July 2025 at 19H00)

Published

on

shaden-dre-shabalala-(captain-of-the-mssa-protea-esports-team-for-mlbb)-will-lead-his-brave,-and-dedicated,-team-against-madagascar-on-23-july-2025-at-19h00)
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

With the South African Protea Esports Team for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang title having laid waste to all its opponents in its group (Namibia and Congo), the Proteas now have to do battle against Madagascar.

Madagascar has also won all its matches in its group having beaten both Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

Thus to see which country earns its place to represent Southern Africa at the prestigious IESF World Esports Championships – WEC25 – the two titans will meet on the field of battle.

The winner of this clash on 23 July 2025 will see only one country emerge to represent Southern Africa at IESF’s WEC25.

Thus, there is much at stake, honour, prestige, and a nation’s pride!

The match is a thrilling best-of-five games in which, all MSSA is confident that the Proteas will emerge victorious!

As usual the dedicated team from Waylander Gaming will stream the match on https://youtube.com/@waylander_gaming at 19H00.

The battle hardened veteran team of Protea athletes for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang esports title are:

Name Club Nick Province
Shaden Dre Shabalala (Capt.) King of the Hill SUPER Shady Gauteng
Mogamat Junaid Ismail King of the Hill JụjuMC.♡ Western Cape
Slindokuhle Ndlovu King of the Hill lindo Gauteng
Umer Ali Khan King of the Hill VeloTzy. Gauteng
Schalk Rademeyer Paradox SUPER Light Eastern Cape

The post Shaden Dre Shabalala (Captain of the MSSA Protea Esports Team for MLBB) will lead his brave, and dedicated, team against Madagascar on 23 July 2025 at 19H00) appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending