SA Rugby has announced that it has renewed its partnership with leading global online betting and gaming brand, Betway, for a further four years, with the sponsorship extended to include not only the Springbok men and women’s teams, but also the Blitzboks and Springbok Women’s Sevens sides.

The partnership, which has been in existence since 2021, will see Betway’s logo displayed on the back of the shorts of the four teams in what promises to be an exciting year for the men and women in green and gold, beginning with the Springboks taking on the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday, 28 June.

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said: “As we’ve seen over the last four years, this partnership with Betway enabled us to work together in bringing our passionate fans even closer to the game.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with Betway as this will yet again stretch beyond the four white lines of a rugby field. Betway have brought some exciting initiatives to the rugby landscape, such as the Betway Next Phase, an exciting three-year initiative that helped develop, upskill and empower coaches in women’s rugby.

“Without sponsors, sport would struggle and we’re fortunate that we have a partner such as Betway that is passionate about growing rugby.”

Betway Africa’s Head of Marketing, Mark Rowles, said: “The Springboks are a team that have brought so much joy to South Africa and we as Betway are delighted to be behind the Boks for another four years, our journey has seen so much success for the team and that feel good feeling has certainly rubbed off on the Rainbow Nation.

“We are looking forward to playing a role in the success of both the women’s and sevens teams over the next four-year period and will be investing in the growth and accessibility of the women’s game.

“We will be launching our official Springbok campaign in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for our billboards across South Africa, where Springbok fans have continuously shown their support by being fully behind the Boks. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish the Springbok Women’s squad all the best for the upcoming World Cup in England that kicks off in August.”

Partnership with the leading global monitoring body reinforces pawaTech’s efforts to combat betting corruption

pawaTech, a leading sportsbook provider in Africa that licenses the betPawa brand, which is available in 17 African countries, has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). The partnership will see betting integrity data from pawaTech’s sportsbook trading operations contribute to IBIA’s global monitoring and alert network, which tracks over $300 billion in annual betting turnover across more than 140 brands. The move reinforces pawaTech’s commitment to responsible betting, fraud prevention and safeguarding sports betting integrity across Africa.

Juri Sidorenko, CEO of pawaTech said: “Joining IBIA reflects our commitment to fair play, integrity and safer betting. We are proud to support a trusted ecosystem that makes betting more secure, transparent and player-friendly across Africa.”

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “We are thrilled to welcome pawaTech to IBIA. The company’s unique African operational footprint and technology infrastructure bring valuable regional market knowledge and monitoring coverage to our association. This partnership further strengthens our global network and supports our shared goal of protecting the integrity of sport and regulated betting markets.”

IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and was established by operators, for operators, to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets. Through the IBIA global monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts; this data is only available to IBIA and its members.

Dr. Gloria Herndon—international economist, philanthropist, and long-standing advocate for underserved communities—is preparing to launch a charitable casino platform in Kenya, where a license has already been secured. The platform will be operated by Top Deck Entertainment, where Dr. Herndon serves as Chairman of the Board, and developed in partnership with Humanitarian Gaming International (HGI)/Electronic Gaming Solutions, Inc. (EGS)

This initiative marks the beginning of a new model for regulated casino gaming in Africa—one built to generate real, measurable community impact. A dedicated portion of net gaming profits will go directly to charitable local organizations, supporting causes such as youth development, healthcare, education, and economic empowerment.

“This isn’t just a business venture—it’s a reinvestment mechanism,” said Dr. Herndon. “We’re building something that generates revenue and returns it to the communities that need it most.”

A Regulated Model Designed for Impact
While the charitable platform has not yet launched, all required licensing has been secured in Kenya. Once active, the platform will offer traditional casino gaming in a tightly regulated environment, designed with responsible gaming safeguards and operational transparency at its core.

A percentage of net profits will be directed to vetted local nonprofits. Humanitarian Gaming International (HGI)/ EGS will provide the content for the charitable platform, governance support, operational guidance, and oversight to ensure accountability and measurable results.

Profits Will Support These Key Areas:

• Youth Empowerment – Mentorship, after-school programs, and creative opportunities
  
• Scholarships & Education Grants – Tuition assistance and educational advancement
  
• Entrepreneurship Support – Seed funding and mentorship for local startups
  
• Women’s Economic Development – Business training and career support for women
  
• Community Health Access – Mobile clinics and basic health services
  
• Emergency Relief – Rapid-deployment funds for disasters and urgent needs
  
• Job Creation – Employment tied directly to casino operations and outreach
  
• Support for Orphans – Housing, education, and care for children without guardians
  
• Aid for Survivors of Sexual Violence – Trauma-informed care and legal advocacy
  
• Support for Elder Caregivers – Dignity-focused financial and wellness assistance

About Dr. Gloria Herndon
Dr. Gloria Herndon is a pioneering international economist and philanthropist with a six-decade career advancing equity, infrastructure, and economic development across Africa and beyond. She has led high-impact initiatives in finance, public health, and education, and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Top Deck Entertainment. Her latest venture reflects her lifelong commitment to building systems that serve people first.