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“Land-based Casinos Should Crisis-proof Their Operations and Diversify Online” – WinPrincess’ Guven Eraslan

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After announcing its partnership with WinPrincess, whereby the principal retail casino in Tanzania will be diversifying its operations, incorporating the digital channels to its retail business strategy, leading iGaming platform provider BtoBet meets with Guven Eraslan, Executive Coordinator of the WinPrincess Group, to understand key market traits.

Coming from the casino vertical, do you intend to stick to your core brand strategy or diversify and grasp the opportunity that other verticals keep in hold?
Our core business is the operation of land-based casinos. At heart we are a family owned traditional bricks and mortar company with strong values. But like any other company we need to grow in order to continue to remain relevant.

Therefore, we cannot afford to miss any of the opportunities that lie ahead of us, and our focus will be on all verticals within the iGaming industry. Our mid-term strategy is to be online in all the countries where we operate land-based casinos already. With marketing being key to the success of the online business, we believe that we can create a synergy through our already existing physical presence, knowledge of the culture and manpower on the front.

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You have targeted Tanzania for your first expansion to online gambling. Why Tanzania?
Tanzania’s betting industry has more than doubled in the last three years. Moreover three of the fastest growing cities in the world are in Tanzania. Dar Es Salaam has a population of 6.7 million people and is projected to grow by 100% to 13.4 million by 2035.

Apart from this it is important to note that all of the fastest growing 15 cities in the world are found in Africa. We believe that Africa is a safe bet if you need a good start. And that is exactly what we need, if we are to tackle and master diversification within a traditional casino company such as ours.

From a global perspective land-based casinos have been slow to shift or expand their operations to the digital channels, and thus providing a more complete betting experience where all the channels are interlinked. Why do you think is there such a reluctance from retail casino operators to transform their business strategies?
I think people are reluctant to change in general. We are talking about two totally different cultures as well, with the online branch of the business considered as the disruptor in our traditional casino world, where until recently people always needed to be physically present in a brick and mortar casino in order to place their money on bets. Thus there always needed to be a live interaction and it was more like a personal experience.

That is not required anymore, with online casino bringing about a clash of cultures, if you will. Well it is quite clear that it is us, the land-based casino operators, the ones that need to change and adapt. Diversification can only be made in the direction of progress. Business diversification is definitely something that all land-based operators need to address in the short term. We are up to the challenge, and with the right vision and the right partners such as BtoBet we will get there.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about never before seen measures requiring social distancing. How has this effected the retail casino business?
All but 12 of our casinos are closed at the moment. So we are talking about 20 closed casinos of which we do not know yet when they will be allowed to reopen. The best business model is a crisis-proof one, and there will be a lot of analysis from all industries on how they can achieve this.
Nonetheless I dare say that if we could have achieved a diversification to online more early, and by doing so hedged our investments, we probably would have not been hit as hard.

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Do you think that the pandemic will eventually change the players’ behaviour?
We cannot foresee with certainty what the player behaviour will look like after the crisis. People might be more hesitant to go to a casino but on the other hand once normality returns I believe that social interaction will be a key element that will characterize people’s lives.

My guess is that everything will go back to normal once the pandemic is under control. People have a tendency of wanting to forget bad times. After all social interaction is what makes us human, so we will not easily give up on that.

What elements made you choose BtoBet’s Neuron 3 platform as the technological core of your online business?
When I did my own research for iGaming and sports betting platform providers, which are active in Africa it was amazing that under every stone I turned I found BtoBet. When a company of our size wants to go online there is a lot of demand for working with us. And although we had contact with all the main companies in the online gaming business, our decision in the end was quite easy. Knowledge, expertise and trustworthiness are key elements that distinguish BtoBet, and we look forward to work with them on other similar projects.

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Africa

Association of Gaming Operators in Kenya Announces New Regulations

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The Association of Gaming Operators in Kenya (AGOK) in partnership with government agencies, regulators and civil society are spearheading a set of proactive initiatives designed to shape the future of the gaming industry and protect innocent Kenyans from addiction to gaming.

In a press release, the Association says nationwide awareness campaigns promoting informed, mindful participation in gaming will be carried out across the country.

Advocacy for tools such as time-out mechanisms, betting and deposit limits will be put in place to ensure a healthy and controlled gaming behaviour among Kenyans.

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“The gaming industry in Kenya continues to evolve rapidly, creating opportunities for economic growth, digital innovation, and employment. However, with this growth comes a heightened responsibility to safeguard the welfare of players, particularly young people and vulnerable populations,” the statement by AGOK’s board reads in part.

“AGOK acknowledges the complex challenges associated with gaming, particularly around mental health, addiction prevention, and ethical standards. These are global concerns which members of AGOK take seriously. They are at the forefront of our agenda.”

The Association furthers contends that all its members operate under a “shared code of conduct” rooted in principles of fairness, transparency and social responsibility.

Among meaningful steps it says it has taken to prevent exploitation and minimise harm include putting into place advanced age-verification systems to block underage access, self exclusion tools that provide options for and permanent restrictions to gaming activities and round-the clock toll free helplines that offer confidential mental health and addiction support.

The regulatory measures comes amid calls to regulate the sector following increase in cases of mental health and some suicide cases attributed to betting.

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Readen Holding Corp Finalises Acquisition of Morrich Lottery Limited

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Readen Holding Corporation, a venture capital specialising in Fintech, Digital Payments and E-commerce, has announced the successful signing of the final agreement to acquire an 80% controlling stake in Morrich Lottery Limited, a fully licensed lottery operator in Nigeria. This milestone marks RHCO’s official entry into the African gaming market — one of the fastest-growing and most promising sectors globally.

With the closing of this acquisition, RHCO now holds active licenses in Nigeria for lottery, sportsbook and casino operations, unlocking access to an estimated $2.5 billion gaming market projected to grow over 9% annually through 2030. This move positions RHCO to become a major international force in regulated gaming, entertainment and fintech infrastructure.

Ridzky Berg, CEO of RHCO, said: “This is more than an acquisition — it’s a strategic launchpad into one of the most dynamic gaming markets in the world. Nigeria’s youthful population, expanding internet access, and growing appetite for digital gaming make this a prime market. With our proven fintech backbone and seasoned leadership, we’re ready to set a new standard for integrated, secure, and user-friendly gaming platforms across the region.”

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Africa

Gaming Corps Expands African Presence with KingMakers Partnership

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Gaming Corps signs a deal with leading African gaming platform, KingMakers.

Gaming Corps, a publicly listed game studio based in Sweden, has put pen to paper on a content distribution deal with KingMakers, a leading sports betting and gaming platform in Africa. This new strategic partnership will help cement Gaming Corps as one of Africa’s most dynamic game studios while enhancing the game offering across KingMakers’ platforms.

The deal will see Gaming Corps’ diverse online slot and casino game portfolio integrated into KingMakers’ platform. This includes popular titles like Gates of Hellfire, Wet and Wild Beavers, and Snoops’ High Rollers, each of which showcases Gaming Corps’ commitment to innovative gameplay, creative bonus features and big winning potential.

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KingMakers’ customers will also enjoy Gaming Corps’ selection of industry-leading crash and instant-win games and hits from the Smash4Cash™ selection, including its flagship title, Piggy Smash.

The move will see Gaming Corps significantly enhance its position in the African market, with KingMakers marketing itself as ‘Where Africa comes to play’. KingMakers’s leading brand, BetKing, is one of Africa’s most in-demand online gaming sites, ensuring Gaming Corps reaches more players on the continent than ever.

Danielle Calafato, CCO at Gaming Corps, said: “A key part of our global expansion strategy is to work alongside the biggest and best names on each continent. KingMakers is a major player in the African market with a strong reputation among players, and this partnership provides us with major exposure there.

Our games have always been well-received by African audiences, and with KingMakers, we can continue to cement our status as a must-have game studio in the region.”

Kaan Bulakeri – Head of Gaming at KingMakers noted: “In our clear vision to be the home where Africa comes to play, we as KingMakers believe in strong business partnerships to bring the most innovative entertainment content to our customers.

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Our business strategy is to create this customer value together with global partners as well as locally focused game providers to enhance our rich and diverse offering combined with best user experience.

Gaming Corps is one of the game studios that resonate with our vision and strategy, therefore with their innovative approach we eagerly continue to provide our customers with tailored and localized first-in-class entertainment.”

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