AFCON 2025 ran from 21 December to 18 January, packing 52 matches across 19 matchdays. Given that schedule and the heavy interest in favourites such as Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt, many expected a measurable boost in online gambling activity. However, Blask data shows the tournament produced only occasional deviations from normal patterns — even in the nations with teams that reached the final stages.

Key findings from Blask data

• No broad uplift: Overall iGaming demand did not climb consistently across markets during AFCON.
• Weekly rhythm dominated: The Blask Index largely followed pre-existing weekly patterns; matchday timings rarely overrode those cycles.
• Host-country anomaly: Morocco — with more viewer-friendly kick-offs (five of seven on Sundays or Friday evenings) — recorded the largest single day-to-day Blask Index move (26 December, Morocco vs Mali at 21:00 local).
• Vertical competition mattered: Live-match excitement often drew attention away from casino play rather than increasing it. Hourly Blask Index figures frequently fell or stayed flat during national-team matches.
• Market-share stability: Dominant brands (usually 1–4 operators) retained their daily shares; AFCON did not reshuffle leaders in most markets.

Why AFCON didn’t create a sustained iGaming spike

1. Calendar beats event noise. Daily and weekly user habits — workweek rhythms, prime-time viewing slots and local schedules — remained the strongest determinants of iGaming demand.
2. Attention is finite. While live betting benefits from matchday attention, casino verticals compete for the same user time. In practice, watching matches often reduced casino activity.
3. Operator strategy limits volatility. In markets controlled by a few large operators, firms manage audience attention by shifting promotions across verticals rather than expanding overall demand. That keeps market shares relatively steady.

Notable exception: Nigeria’s operator flip-flop

Nigeria bucked the broader trend: two brands controlling 70%+ of audience attention exchanged top positions frequently. Bet9ja was the 2025 leader overall, but SportyBet overtook it on most AFCON days, including all Nigeria team matchdays — showing how high-profile tournaments can temporarily reorder leaderboards where competition is extremely concentrated.

What this means for operators and marketers

• Promotions should be tactical, not assuming scale. Expect matchday windows to deliver spikes in live-bet engagement but not necessarily a net rise across iGaming.
• Vertical-specific offers perform better. Tailor live-betting promos during matches and protect casino revenues with off-peak incentives.
• Local kick-off times matter. Host nations or markets with viewer-friendly schedules can see stronger short-term lifts — use that to time campaigns.

Conclusion

AFCON 2025 drew continent-wide interest, but Blask’s daily and hourly data indicate no broad, sustained iGaming uplift. Instead, the tournament rearranged attention — boosting live-bet engagement at times while leaving overall demand on its usual calendar-driven trajectory. For operators, the insight is clear: the calendar is king, and major sporting events tend to redistribute, not expand, iGaming activity.

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Sun International has announced that Nomzamo Radebe will join Sun International as Chief Operating Officer: Hospitality & Sales, effective 2 February 2026.

“Nomzamo will play a pivotal role in advancing our hospitality and property businesses, contributing fresh insights as we continue to build world-class capabilities and pursue our ambition to be a digitally led, market-leading, omnichannel gaming company,” said Ulrik Bengtsson, CEO of Sun International.

Nomzamo is a Chartered Accountant with over 27 years of experience, including 20 years in senior leadership roles across the real estate sector. She joins Sun International from SA Corporate Real Estate Ltd, where she served as COO, and has held executive positions at Excellerate JHI, Pareto Limited and National Treasury. Her expertise includes property asset management, portfolio optimisation, mergers and acquisitions, treasury management and stakeholder engagement, having led teams managing portfolios valued at over R10 billion.

Nomzamo has been recognised with the Five Star Woman Award and IPM Business Leader of the Year and serves on the board of SAPOA.

“I am excited to join such a strong brand like Sun International. I look forward to interacting with the various teams to drive performance and deliver on our business strategies and value creation plans in the hospitality division,” said Nomzamo Radebe.

The post Sun International Appoints Nomzamo Radebe as COO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Logifuture’s innovative Simulate sportsbook product has crunched the numbers ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 final, running the decisive clash between Morocco and Senegal 1,000 times to predict a winner. The results point firmly toward the hosts, with Morocco emerging as favourites to lift their first AFCON title in more than 50 years.

Simulate, Logifuture’s cutting-edge virtual sports betting feature, delivers fast-paced simulations across football and basketball, offering instant results or gameplay over 10- and 30-second intervals. Players can run up to 15 simulations simultaneously, creating a constant stream of betting opportunities and immersive engagement.

AFCON Final Simulation Results: Morocco vs Senegal

According to Simulate’s data-driven modelling, Morocco won 433 of the 1,000 simulated finals (43.3%), while Senegal claimed victory 283 times (28.3%). The remaining simulations ended level after 90 minutes, highlighting the fine margins expected in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Goals are predicted to be at a premium. In line with Morocco’s defensive solidity during the tournament, 67% of simulations (633 matches) finished with under 2.5 goals, reinforcing expectations of a tense, tactical contest.

Early momentum could prove decisive. Only 5% of simulations saw a team recover from a half-time deficit to win in regulation time. Given that Morocco have conceded just once during the tournament, Senegal could face an uphill battle if they fall behind early.

Draws may also shape the outcome, with 28% of simulated matches tied after 90 minutes. Morocco’s resilience under pressure was already demonstrated in their semi-final triumph over Nigeria, where they prevailed 4–2 on penalties.

Third-Place Play-Off: Nigeria vs Egypt

Logifuture’s Simulate also analysed the AFCON third-place play-off between Nigeria and Egypt, running the fixture 1,000 times. The Super Eagles emerged victorious in 467 simulations (46.7%), while Egypt won 333 times (33.3%), with the remaining matches requiring extra time.

Low-scoring outcomes dominated the simulations. Only 267 matches featured over 2.5 goals, while 467 ended with a single goal, underlining expectations of another tightly contested encounter. Goalless draws were rare, occurring in just 67 of the 1,000 simulations, suggesting a breakthrough is likely before full time.

Boosting Sportsbook Performance with Simulate

Beyond predictions, operators using Logifuture’s Simulate have reported sportsbook GGR increases of up to 5%, driven by advanced predictive modelling and enhanced player engagement. By delivering personalised betting experiences and real-time insights, Simulate helps operators optimise offers, improve retention, and drive sustainable long-term growth.

As AFCON 2026 reaches its climax, Logifuture’s Simulate continues to demonstrate how data-led virtual sports betting can enhance fan engagement while delivering measurable commercial impact for sportsbook operators.

The post Logifuture’s Simulate Forecasts Morocco AFCON Glory After 1,000 Final Simulations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.