Africa

East Africa’s iGaming Industry A Prime Opportunity For Growth And Expansion

Published

5 years ago

October 29, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

East Africa is one of the regions in Africa that is garnering the most attraction when it comes to the betting and gambling industry. We meet Alessandro Pizzolotto, STM Gaming’s CEO and Certified Partner of BtoBet in Africa what he thinks about the subject and how the region could further evolve in the short to medium term.

Is it your opinion that sports betting is more rampant in Eastern Africa? Why?

There is no doubt that the popularity of sports betting in the whole of Africa derives from the huge popularity of sports across the entire continent. The popularity of sports, especially football, has been further highlighted in recent years with the huge success of African players in major European leagues. One could make reference to Napoli’s strong Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, amongst many others.

Nonetheless with numbers at hand, a report published by Dublin based research firm “Research and Report” clearly indicates that the iGaming industry in the Sub-Saharan region is seeing an increase in the number of millenials who make use of mobile phones to place bets. The report states that the eastern region in Africa, with Kenya and Uganda as the primary examples, is at the forefront of the continent’s gambling market.

How did weak laws and regulations offer the perfect environment for the growth of gambling in Eastern Africa?

I wouldn’t state that East African markets are afflicted by weak regulations. The M-Pesa and SMS payments conundrum that resulted in Kenya last year was in effect a demonstration that local regulations do work, and in blocking these vital payment systems to the country’s largest operators the Kenyan government was effectively cutting the operators from millions of customers.

Whilst one can argue to great length regarding the escalating enforcement measures that were introduced by the government, this does not in itself demonstrate a weak regulatory framework that would benefit black or grey markets.

Does East Africa have more nations that participate in sports betting than any other African region?

To understand why the iGaming industry has registered stronger growth in Eastern Africa than in other regions one has to understand the payment gateways and services available, which are fundamental to the industry. East Africa is undoubtedly at the forefront of the entire continent when it comes to payment gateways, especially mobile money. It is a known fact that from a financial inclusion perspective Africa is still lagging behind more established markets, such as Europe.

Yet when it comes to East Africa, the region – with countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda – is a global leader in regards to the highest per capita registered and active mobile money accounts, and volume of mobile money. The region has the fastest growth in mobile money accounts and in each country the number of mobile money accounts surpassed the number of bank accounts.

The phenomenon of mobile money has been ongoing in the East African region since 2007. The roots of mobile money lie in Kenya with the launch of M-Pesa by Vodacom . With the lack of financial infrastructure in the region and the cost of mobile phones dropping rapidly in that same period, mobile money spread quickly through the rest of East Africa.

If one were to compare two leading markets in Africa – Kenya from the East African region and Nigeria from its Western counterpart – one would find huge discrepancies from this perspective. Whilst in Kenya 56% of the population aged over 15 years have an account with a financial institution, on the other hand 73% report having a mobile money account. At the same time the situation cannot be more different in Nigeria, with 39% of the population having an account with a financial institution and only 5.6% having a mobile money account. This obviously has a very strong impact on the iGaming industry.

Nonetheless this situation is set to change in the short to medium term, especially with the continuous expansion of companies such as MTN Africa and Airtel Africa across the whole continent. Such an expansion will pave the way for a true pan-African payment gateway facilitating money transfers, deposits and withdrawals when it comes to the regional iGaming industry.

Africa

EGT Digital Announces New Partnership with Sunbet

Published

1 day ago

March 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

egt-digital-announces-new-partnership-with-sunbet

EGT Digital has announced a new partnership with Sunbet, one of the most popular operators in South Africa. The collaboration marks an important step in strengthening the company’s presence in the country and expanding its reach within this dynamic and growing market.

As part of the partnership, Sunbet now features a selection of EGT Digital’s top-performing online titles within its portfolio, including Sugartime, 10 Crown Hot, and 10 Shining Diamond – titles recognised for their engaging gameplay, appealing design and consistent player performance.

These games stand out with dynamic mechanics and player-focused features that align well with local preferences. By adding them to its portfolio, Sunbet further enhances its offering with proven content designed to drive engagement and retention.

“Partnering with Sunbet is an important step in further strengthening our position in South Africa. Sunbet is a well-established operator with a strong understanding of its audience and market dynamics. We are confident that our diverse and high-performing portfolio will complement their offering and bring added value to their players. We look forward to building a sustainable and successful collaboration together,” said Tsvetomira Drumeva, Head of Sales at EGT Digital.

“EGT is already a well-recognised brand across the Sun International casino floors, so bringing EGT Digital’s titles to Sunbet is a natural extension of that experience online. We’re excited to expand our offering and deliver more engaging content to our players,” said Tyler Gentle, Casino Product Manager at Sunbet.

The agreement reflects EGT Digital’s continued focus on delivering high-performing, market-adapted content and building strategic partnerships in key regulated markets.

The post EGT Digital Announces New Partnership with Sunbet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

Hollywoodbets to deploy ClearStake’s ID by Bank for improved player verification

Published

1 week ago

March 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

hollywoodbets-to-deploy-clearstake’s-id-by-bank-for-improved-player-verification

Hollywoodbets has agreed to integrate ClearStake’s ID by Bank solution as the operator looks to streamline and enhance its customer due diligence (CDD) processes.

Through the partnership, Hollywoodbets customers in the United Kingdom will soon be able to verify their identity within seconds using their banking app, removing the need to manually upload identity documents.

ClearStake’s technology is also proven to significantly reduce the operational workload associated with CDD checks.

Tyla Labuschagne, Compliance Manager at Hollywoodbets, said: “Customer due diligence is a critical part of operating responsibly. By integrating ClearStake’s ID by Bank solution, we can make identity verification faster and more intuitive for customers, while significantly reducing the manual workload for our teams. This allows us to improve compliance outcomes, streamline operations and remove friction at key moments in the player journey.”

Martin Burt, CEO of ClearStake, added: “One of the biggest challenges operators face is completing customer due diligence efficiently without creating unnecessary friction for customers or operational teams. By enabling customers to verify their identity securely through their banking app via ID by Bank, operators like Hollywoodbets can complete CDD checks in seconds, reduce reliance on manual document reviews and strengthen compliance outcomes.”

The post Hollywoodbets to deploy ClearStake’s ID by Bank for improved player verification appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

Booming Games teams up with Agreegain to power continued African growth

Published

1 week ago

March 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

booming-games-teams-up-with-agreegain-to-power-continued-african-growth

Booming Games has teamed up with Agreegain to drive growth in various markets throughout Africa.
Booming Games will utilize Agreegain’s aggregation platform to link with casino operators throughout the continent.

Booming Games, a top supplier of high-quality gaming content, has today revealed a strategic alliance with Agreegain, a rapidly expanding iGaming solutions provider. This action will stimulate a fresh surge of growth for Booming Games throughout Africa, as the company aims to quickly broaden its international footprint in regulated markets.

The collaboration will link Booming Games with numerous casino operators in Africa via Agreegain’s game aggregation platform, employing advanced technology to provide compliant, quick integrations effortlessly. Booming Games’ titles will be accessible on Agreegain’s API platform, utilized by top operators throughout Africa. The platform features more than 10,000 games, which encompass slots, live casino options, and table games.

Booming Games is launching more titles than ever and aims to enhance both the quantity and quality of its lineup in 2026. Teaming up with Agreegain further exemplifies its commitment to delivering top-notch games to players worldwide, as Booming Games will extend the availability of these titles throughout Africa.

The collaboration reinforces Booming Games’ dedication to providing an exceptional experience for players through the use of advanced technology. With each new game, Booming Games also creates customized content for specific markets. The gaming sector in Africa has recently exceeded $600 million in revenue, presenting a distinct opportunity for Booming Games to grow its offerings.

Solomon Godwin, Head of Africa at Booming Games, said: “We are thrilled to announce our new strategic partnership with Agreegain, marking an exciting milestone forward in enhancing our gaming offering. This collaboration strengthens our commitment in delivering innovative gaming experience and engaging gameplay to players globally.”

Maria Afzaal, Senior Partner Manager at Agreegain, said: “Partnering with Booming Games marks an exciting step forward in expanding our portfolio with a leading provider known for its dynamic and engaging slot content. Licensed in all major jurisdictions, most notably Malta and the United Kingdom, Booming Games demonstrates a strong commitment to quality, compliance, and innovation — making them a valuable addition to our growing network of trusted global partners.”

The post Booming Games teams up with Agreegain to power continued African growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.