Africa
East Africa’s iGaming Industry A Prime Opportunity For Growth And Expansion
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.
Powered by WPeMatico
Africa
GR8 Tech to Spotlight Platform for Champions During SiGMA Africa 2026
GR8 Tech is entering SiGMA Africa 2026 with Platform for Champions—an ecosystem designed for operators who thrive under pressure, grow with precision, and reject anything mediocre. From March 3–5 in Cape Town, the team will be present on the show floor at booth 169, prepared to demonstrate how its platform enables brands to succeed consistently throughout Africa. GR8 Tech has also emerged as a top contender for Best Online Sportsbook Provider at the SiGMA Africa Awards 2026—a acknowledgment that showcases the impact the platform is already making throughout the region.
Live Demonstrations Throughout the Platform for Champions Collection
GR8 Tech will conduct practical demonstrations of Platform for Champions, illustrating how its sportsbook, casino, affiliate, and turnkey solutions collaborate across operator situations, from acquisition to cross-vertical interaction and localization. The complete portfolio will be showcased, featuring Crypto Turnkey, ULTIM8 Sportsbook, Infinite Casino Aggregation, and Aff.Tech, designed to assist teams in launching more quickly and enhancing performance.
Twilight Wine Journey by GR8 Tech
In addition to the conference, GR8 Tech is organizing the Sunset Wine Experience—an exclusive event aimed at fostering engaging discussions with quality wine in a historic venue. The occasion is scheduled for March 4, 2026 (18:30–late) in Stellenbosch at Quoin Rock Wine Estate. To obtain a private invitation, sign up on GR8 Tech’s website.
GR8 Tech CSO Participates in Discussion on Conversion Rates in South Africa
Player acquisition in South Africa is advancing rapidly, making it increasingly difficult to manage CAC effectively. This is the reason Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, will participate in the essential panel “Player Acquisition in South Africa: What Converts and What Doesn’t” on Thursday, March 5 (14:25–14:50). Marketing executives will analyze what is effective (and what isn’t) in paid media, influencers, retail interactions, and community-driven growth, emphasizing CAC discipline, channel exhaustion, and sustainable conversion tactics in a rapidly mobile environment.
Creating iGaming Leaders in Africa
GR8 Tech will be present at the event to engage with industry leaders, share actionable growth tactics, and showcase how Platform for Champions facilitates intelligent acquisition, enhanced engagement, and scalable operations in competitive settings.
“Across Africa, we’ve already helped operators like Mojabet and BongoBongo accelerate their business: moving faster in-market, sharpening performance, and achieving significant revenue growth,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “Now, we’re only pushing harder in the region. So if you’re an operator who wants to perform like a champion, with a platform built for speed, control, and scale, let’s sit down at SiGMA Africa and talk about what winning looks like in your market.”
Meet GR8 Tech at SiGMA Africa 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa (March 3–5), at The Grand Arena at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World. Book a meeting in advance, see the platform in action, and explore what it takes to scale like a champion in one of Africa’s most exciting iGaming hubs.
The post GR8 Tech to Spotlight Platform for Champions During SiGMA Africa 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Africa
EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise
EveryMatrix has obtained official licensing consent to provide its complete platform technology in South Africa, with its client pipeline quickly expanding throughout the continent and significant customer launches approaching.
EveryMatrix South Africa (EMSA) has obtained a manufacturer’s license from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and is now permitted to offer its modular and turnkey platform solutions in sports, casino, player account management (PAM), payments, and affiliate management to top local and international operators.
The tier-1 technology provider has achieved considerable progress throughout Africa recently, collaborating with numerous local brands and finalizing agreements with several others set to launch in the upcoming months.
The purchase of FSB Technology has also given it additional access to South Africa and various other developed and developing iGaming markets on the continent.
An increasing number of major local and global tier-1 operators, as well as World Lottery Association member organizations in essential regulated markets, are choosing EveryMatrix’s turnkey platform technology.
Mark Schmidt, Managing Director, Africa, EveryMatrix, said: “Bringing our full suite of turnkey platform products into South Africa under our new licence is enabling us to power some of the biggest brands here, giving them access to technology that will instantly unlock their potential and drive market growth. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be announcing some major deals so watch this space.
“Our casino, sports, PAM, payments, games and content aggregation and affiliate management solutions, supported by our local experts who understand their needs and challenges are providing an offering no one else has been able to offer so far in South Africa and across the continent.”
The post EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Africa
Meridianbet Marks 17 Years in Tanzania with Over 500 Community Initiatives
When Meridianbet’s Tanzania operations spoke at the American Chamber of Commerce Appreciation Dinner last week, the presentation opened with a single number: 500.
That’s how many community initiatives the sports entertainment company has completed across Tanzania since 2009. Education programmes. Small business training. Youth sports sponsorship. Public health awareness campaigns. Local infrastructure support.
For a gaming company operating under a NASDAQ-listed parent, sustained community investment at this scale is unusual. The industry has a reputation for extracting value. Meridianbet’s seventeen-year presence in Tanzania tells a different story.
The Social Model
“We’re in the business of friends gathering at local clubs to watch matches, share a drink, and place small stakes on the outcome. The betting is part of the experience. The gathering is the real value,” a company representative said at the event.
The framing matters because it shapes operational decisions. Meridianbet Tanzania, as is the case worldwide, structures its platform to encourage many customers placing small amounts. The alternative would be concentrating revenue among high-stakes players. That model creates problems. Problem gambling. Revenue volatility. Regulatory scrutiny.
Small-stake betting spread across many customers creates different dynamics. Lower risk per individual. More stable revenue. Better alignment with Tanzania’s consumer protection regulations.
The company’s responsible gaming protocols reflect this approach. Early intervention when betting patterns suggest trouble. Support resources in Swahili and English. Limits designed to keep stakes small and entertainment value high.
Community Ambassadors
The scale of Meridianbet’s community programmes drew attention at the AmCham dinner. What got people talking was who runs them.
The company built a network of “community ambassadors.” These are customers who participate in CSR initiatives as partners. They identify needs in their neighbourhoods. They volunteer in education programmes. They mentor local entrepreneurs. They organise school supply drives and coach youth sports teams.
This shifts how corporate social responsibility works. Traditional CSR runs top-down. Companies donate money. Communities receive it. The relationship is transactional.
Meridianbet’s model distributes responsibility. Customers become patrons of community development. The company provides platform and resources. The customers craft the donation policy.
“When a customer helps fund a school program or mentors a young business owner, they’re building their own community. We make it possible,” the representative said.
Seventeen years and 500 initiatives suggest the model works. Whether it scales beyond Tanzania remains to be seen. For now, it appears to have created genuine community ties rather than performative charity.
The Gender Metric
One data point from the presentation got repeated in conversations after the event: 70% of managerial positions across Meridianbet’s African operations are held by women.
The gaming industry globally runs around 30% women in leadership roles. East African businesses average 35%. Meridianbet’s 70% is an outlier.
The company implements a performance-based hiring and promotion. No quotas. Just competence rewarded. Whether that’s the full story or not, the outcome is measurable. Management teams reflect the communities they serve. Diversity intentions are easy to state. Diversity outcomes are harder to deliver. The Company’s numbers show outcome.
Seventeen Years
Tanzania’s gaming market has grown considerably since 2009. Mobile penetration increased. Disposable incomes rose among the middle class. International operators entered. Some stayed. Many left when margins compressed or regulations tightened.
Meridianbet stayed. Seventeen years. 200 employees. Hundreds of local retail partnerships. That longevity suggests the company views Tanzania as infrastructure, not opportunity.
American companies face pressure to demonstrate ESG commitments in emerging markets. Words are easy. Execution is hard. Meridianbet’s Tanzania operations show what seventeen years of execution looks like.
The post Meridianbet Marks 17 Years in Tanzania with Over 500 Community Initiatives appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Blueprint Gaming6 days agoBlueprint Gaming unleashes Frankenstein’s Fortune blending dynamic modifiers with multi-path bonus offering
-
Big Daddy Gaming7 days agoBig Daddy Gaming® Expands European Footprint After MGA Licence Approval
-
Latest News5 days agoGGBET UA hosts Media Game – an open FC Dynamo Kyiv training session with journalists from sports publications
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoMGA Publishes Results of Thematic Review on Self-exclusion Practices in Online Gaming Sector
-
Amusnet6 days agoAmusnet Unveils Casino Engineering and Technology Milestones Achieved in 2025
-
Brais Pena Chief Strategy Officer at Easygo7 days agoStake Goes Live in Denmark Following Five-Year Licence Approval
-
Bragg Gaming Group6 days agoBragg Gaming Group Partners with StarGames
-
Australia7 days agoNSW: Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28 and Regulatory Priorities 2026



