Next-gen operator launches sport betting with award-winning platform provider

Rise & Hustle, Africa’s next-gen tap-to-earn gaming operator, has launched sports betting within its street game platform through a new partnership with leading sportsbook platform provider Altenar.

As part of the deal, Altenar is delivering thousands of daily pre-match events and live in-play betting with fast markets and cash out, alongside extensive esports coverage and a full range of traditional sports to Rise & Hustle’s players in Nigeria.

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Popular sports such as football and the English Premier League will form the foundation, complemented by comprehensive coverage of local competitions to satisfy regional betting interests. Players will benefit from being able to use local currency (Naira), ensuring a familiar end-to-end experience.

The agreement sees Rise & Hustle’s users benefit from personalised bet recommendations, and seamless wallet integration across casino, free-to-play and sportsbook. An optimised UI/UX with intuitive navigation across both mobile and desktop simplifies the betting process, while the free-to-play element awards players with free bets to drive engagement and retain loyalty.

Altenar’s customisable, mobile-first front end aligns seamlessly with Rise & Hustle’s brand, while its advanced risk management tools protect profitability and fraud prevention. Operators can now benefit from real-time, competitively priced odds and 24/7 access to Altenar’s trading team, highlighting its commitment to customer care.

The partnership follows a strong year for Altenar on the African continent, after it gained its South Africa licence back in December 2024 and appointed Brendon Jeacocks as Regional Director.

Tassos Theocharidis, Senior Sales Executive at Altenar, said: “We’re delighted to team up with Rise & Hustle to deliver a new sports betting experience to its players. We firmly believe in the operator’s potential in the fiercely competitive Nigerian market.

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“We look forward to enhancing their existing offering with the addition of our award-winning sports betting technology.”

Josh Jones, CEO & Co-Founder of Rise & Hustle, commented: “Our collaboration with Altenar enables us to deliver a world-class betting experience tailored to Nigerian players’ interests.

“The onboarding process and speed-to-market were two key factors in choosing Altenar and rolling out a sportsbook solution will help us attract demographics as we evolve our business.”

Emerging-markets aggregator scoops prestigious prize at key West African summit in Ghana

QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for all emerging markets, has won the “Best Innovation” award at the Annual Sports Betting West Africa (SBWA+) 2025 Summit in Ghana, fending off strong competition from other leading lights.

Innovation of the Year celebrates the company that has pioneered innovative solutions tailored for the West African igaming industry over the past 12 months – and QTech Games again superseded and surpassed an array of proven performers in this category, notably Blask, ComplyGuard, PopOK and Sumsub, with the successful launch and rollout of QTech Hybrid.

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These SBWA+ Eventus Awards always recognise excellence and advancements in the West African igaming and sports betting sector. And this year was no different, celebrating a plethora of pioneers from outstanding operators, through progressive technological innovators and regulatory leaders, and on to distributors with the requisite scope and localised expertise to reliably ensure the provision of the most engaging and varied content for the planet’s second-most populous continent.

These are some of the most consequential categories of igaming activity, denoting progressive domains that are shaping the industry’s future across Africa. And the SBWA+ judges found that QTech Games had outperformed its shortlisted rivals in this competitive arena for the judging period of 2025.

QTech Games’ CEO, Philip Doftvik, said: “We’re thrilled to have walked off with another notable award for the best innovation in West Africa. Being shortlisted in such good company was already a result, but victory provides the real validation, particularly after running a great campaign across recent summits in Africa.

“We know our QTech Hybrid solution works wherever our clients set their scene on the map. In Africa, for our pilot partners, it’s already delivered an agile retail solution that can be transferred to your phone, so that the customer can continue playing after leaving the premises or retail point. Encouragingly, it’s already attracting many early adopters and plaudits, especially in Africa and Spanish-speaking territories in Central and South America.

“This win is testimony to our diligent team at QTech Games, and to the constantly growing group of innovative suppliers that our platform represents. It’s a truly collaborative effort. We’ve made our name as the go-to distributor for emerging markets and we remain committed to rolling out high-quality content that drives revenue for our worldwide partners across Africa and beyond.”

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The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) has warned parents about the risks posed by betting on PlayStation games, urging families to take action.

Last week, Daniel Olesumayan, Acting Director General of GBT, addressed the issue during a meeting with media editors organised by the Treasury Registrar’s Office.

The gathering aimed to increase awareness about gambling activities and clarify the GBT’s regulatory responsibilities. Olesumayan stressed the importance of keeping children away from gambling, highlighting that it is primarily the parents’ duty to supervise their children’s gadget usage.

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“As parents, we must protect our children. It is important to track how they use gadgets intended to stimulate their minds. PlayStation games turned into gambling must only operate in board-approved locations,” he said.

The growth of Tanzania’s gambling industry is evident, with the GBT registering 62 companies and issuing a remarkable 8549 licenses in the 2024/25 financial year.

This number includes licenses for various activities, such as the National Lottery and sports betting, with some companies holding multiple licenses to operate different types of gambling across various locations.

“The sector’s tax revenue surged by 97 percent, from Sh131.9 billion in 2020/21 to Sh260 billion in 2024/25,” Mr Olesumayan said.

He also noted that the ability to place bets as low as Sh1000 has contributed to the impressive growth.

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Even with recent advancements, the GBT still faces significant challenges, particularly with illegal slot machines that operate without registration. These machines often attract children, posing risks not only to minors but also to the integrity of the gambling sector.

To tackle these issues, GBT is looking to the future with plans to utilise technology for better management of the industry and also enhance the skills of staff for more effective oversight. The regulator has also established more zonal offices and recently banned foreigners from operating slot machines.

Additionally, the board is set to launch a nationwide responsible gaming campaign aimed at educating young people about the dangers of problem gambling and promoting safer gaming habits.