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 supplier enters Kenya via Betika, with the rollout deployed through the Casimba (Markor) aggregation platform.
Playson has entered the Kenyan market after going live with Betika, making its online casino content available to players in Kenya and Uganda.
The rollout includes Playson titles Thunder Coins: Hold and Win, 4 Pots Riches: Hold and Win, and Coin Strike: Hold and Win. The integration was delivered via the Casimba (Markor) aggregation platform, according to the companies.
Conor Jenner, Senior Sales Manager at Playson, said: “Entering the Kenyan market is a major milestone for Playson, and doing so alongside a leading operator like Betika makes this step even more impactful. Betika’s strong market presence and deep understanding of its players provide an excellent foundation for our content to perform from day one.
We have carefully adapted our infrastructure to meet local regulatory standards and operator requirements, ensuring a smooth rollout and high-quality player experience. We are excited about the opportunities this market presents and look forward to expanding our presence across Africa.”
Peter Stagles, Group Chief Product Officer at Betika, added: “We are pleased to partner with Playson and bring their globally recognised portfolio to our players in Kenya and Uganda. At Betika, we are continuously enhancing our offering by working with best-in-class partners to deliver engaging, high-quality entertainment experiences tailored to our markets.”
The post Playson goes live with Betika in Kenya and Uganda appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The companies point to growth in Africa, with East Africa cited as a standout market since the relationship began on January 7, 2021.
GoldenRace and Spinmatic say they have reached the five-year mark of their partnership with Playlogiq, dating the start of the relationship to January 7, 2021. The companies positioned the collaboration as focused on distributing GoldenRace Virtual Sports and Spinmatic casino content via Playlogiq’s platform.
In the announcement, the companies pointed to Africa as the main growth region for the partnership, with East Africa highlighted as a particularly strong market. They also said mobile and online channels have been central to traffic volumes and content performance.
“Our collaboration with Playlogiq has always been about more than just a business transaction; it is a very strong and productive relationship between two companies that share a drive for excellence. By offering our full suite of verticals, Playlogiq has proven to be a vital partner in our mission to dominate key markets in Africa.” Martin Wachter, GoldenRace CEO and Founder.
Playlogiq CEO Baha Yahya said Spinmatic’s content has been a top performer on its network, adding: “Working with GoldenRace and Spinmatic since 2021 has allowed us to consistently provide our operators with the most engaging content on the market. The traffic we see, particularly through mobile and online channels, is a testament to the quality of the games. We’ve seen Spinmatic become our most successful product line by far, with the Sizzling Blaze series generating incredible engagement across the board.”
The companies also said GoldenRace Virtual Sports remains part of Playlogiq’s ongoing offering, while Spinmatic’s slots have led results within the partnership. No financials, GGR figures, or operator-level performance data were disclosed.
The post GoldenRace and Spinmatic mark five years with aggregation partner Playlogiq appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The operator goes live on bcbet.ng under a licence from the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority.
BC.GAME has launched in Nigeria after securing a sports betting and casino gambling licence from the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA). The operator is live on a new local domain, bcbet.ng.
The company said the Nigerian platform includes both sportsbook and casino products, and supports play in Nigerian Naira.
Nigeria is BC.GAME’s second regulated market launch, following the award of a Kenyan licence last year, according to the company.
BC.GAME CEO Kar Kheng Giam said: “User experience today is closely tied to clarity, consistency and transparency. As we expand into new regulated markets such as Nigeria, we are focused on making the platform easier to understand while continuing to improve how we communicate with our users.
“Nigeria is home to one of the most passionate sports fanbases in the world, with a strong culture around football and a rapidly growing interest in digital gaming. This launch allows us to bring those elements together in a market with significant long-term potential.”
Alongside the Nigeria launch, the company said it has updated navigation, support information, and communication around payments and account processes, and added more user guidance aimed at improving transparency. BC.GAME also said it holds a licence in Anjouan as part of a broader push into regulated markets.
The post BC.GAME launches Nigeria site after securing Lagos betting and casino licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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