Africa
South Africa: Tribunal Grants Lottoland Interim Relief – Orders Google to Grant Lottoland Access to its Advertising Platform
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.
The African iGaming Alliance (AIA) announced the appointment of Peter Kesitilwe, former CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority, as its first Chief Executive Officer.
The Alliance – founded by betPawa, Betway, 888Africa and Sportybet – was established to promote a responsible, well-regulated online betting and gaming industry across Africa. Its mission is to advance fair competition, consumer protection and sustainable regulatory and tax frameworks that support both growth and responsibility.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the AIA’s first CEO. I look forward to working with regulators and policymakers to build a vibrant, sustainable & competitive industry that upholds the highest standards of responsible gambling and consumer protection,” said Kesitilwe.
Board members welcomed Kesitilwe’s appointment:
Anthony Prissman, Betway Africa : “Peter’s strong regulatory background and leadership experience bring immediate credibility to the AIA. We are excited to work with him to help shape a responsible industry across the continent.”
Dan Thomson, betPawa : “Peter’s appointment reflects the strength of the AIA and our mission to build a vibrant, well-regulated sector throughout Africa.”
Gregory Parsons, SportyBet: “The AIA was created to support balanced regulation and raise standards for responsible gambling. Peter’s leadership marks the beginning of this journey.”
Christopher Coyne, 888Africa: “Following a rigorous recruitment process, Peter’s vision for the future of iGaming in Africa stood out. We look forward to working with him and engaging stakeholders to deliver that vision.”
The AIA aims to be the voice of the online gaming industry in Africa, fostering collaboration between operators, regulators and governments to create a transparent, responsible and commercially sustainable sector.
The post African iGaming Alliance Appoints Former Botswana Regulator Peter Kesitilwe as CEO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Full-service hub, uniting four content leaders of racing in 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp, is set to reinforce its existing racing alliance with SOREC at key Casablanca summit
Racing1, the brand name for the newly formed Strategic Alliance between 1/ST CONTENT, Arena Racing Company (ARC), Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and Tabcorp, is making its conference debut at the Grand Prix D’Afrique (11-13 September, Casablanca), thanks to its partners at SOREC (Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval).
The Grand Prix D’Afrique (GPA) has quickly become a must-attend annual event for African lotteries, organized by SOREC and run in conjunction with the African Lotteries Association (ALA). After three successful editions in Marrakesh, the GPA has now moved to Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, for this upcoming renewal.
Racing1’s compelling daily timetable of engaging racing action from around the world (UK, North and South America, Turkey, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) boasts a 24/7 chronology to seamlessly complement any lottery or sportsbook programme across any time-zone, supplying global partners with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content at varied viewing windows throughout diverse territories.
Via the Racing1 brand, 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp are deploying their combined expertise to deliver targeted, localised solutions that appeal to assorted audiences, whether they’re already familiar with racing, or new to the sport and in need of more educational content.
Simon Fraser, spokesperson for Racing1, said: “It’s great to welcome industry delegates to our new stand, where we are demonstrating how Racing1 has conveniently crystallised a once-entangled worldwide web of racing rights into one package, enabling simpler consumption which is crucial in emerging markets.
“Via Racing1’s subsidiary product, Racing1 Markets, we can also demonstrate our one-stop-shop 24/7 racing solution, available in one simple contract and integration via our new iFrame, or existing API solution.
“Racing can be complicated, particularly for those unfamiliar with the space, and a key driver behind Racing1 is to simplify integration and contractual efforts for customers, whilst offering a fully outsourced 24/7 industry-leading offering direct to platforms and operators. It also signals Racing1’s wider intent to return better value to racing’s key stakeholders through more international deals, not merely through the domestic operators where racing is seen as a more traditionally consumed sport.
“Stop by our stand to see how Racing1 benefits consumers and operators alike – with a complete racing package via one contract and one integration.”
The post Racing1 is exhibiting for the first time at the Grand Prix D’Afrique appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BetKing, Nigeria’s leading sports betting and digital entertainment brand under KingMakers, has renewed its official partnership with Ikorodu City Football Club for the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
This marks the third consecutive year of collaboration between both organisations, highlighting a shared commitment to grassroots development, youth empowerment and the growth of Nigerian football.
Since the partnership began in 2023, Ikorodu City FC, popularly known as the Oga Boys, has risen rapidly through the ranks, earning promotion to the NPFL in 2024 and finishing an impressive fourth place in their debut 2024/25 campaign.
Their season was highlighted by a record-breaking 6–0 victory over Katsina United, one of the most dominant results in NPFL history.
BetKing’s support for Nigerian sports extends far beyond football. The company recently commissioned a modern mini sports complex at Ifako Ijaiye, already serving over 400,000 community members, including neighbouring communities.
The post BetKing Renews Ikorodu City FC Partnership for 2025/26 NPFL Season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
eSports6 days agoEsports Charts to deliver comprehensive viewership data to GeoGuessr
-
Africa6 days ago
Racing1 is exhibiting for the first time at the Grand Prix D’Afrique
-
Latest News6 days ago
Åland-Based Gaming Company Paf Becomes Main Partner of the Finnish Ski Association – One of the Most Significant Sponsorship Agreements in the Association’s History
-
FBM6 days agoFBM® adds a new hero to its slots collection with Hippo’s Lock™ launch in Mexico
-
influencer Waltinho6 days ago
Influencer Rafa Campelo Becomes the New Face of MC Games’ Social Media Presence
-
AGA6 days ago
Four in Five U.S. Voters Say Sports Events Contracts Should Be Regulated Like Other Online Sportsbooks
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
SOFTSWISS Compliance Expert Shares Knowledge on AML in iGaming for Sumsub Academy
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
California Gambling Control Commission Reviews Licensing and Ownership Transfers at September 18 Meeting
