Must haves before launching an online sportsbook in Africa

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No doubt sports betting is the key leader across most key markets in Africa however it’s important to keep in mind that online casino games are taking rocket sky growth too. Just like it is in the most advanced markets like the UK and the rest of Europe football is the most popular sport that bettors place bets on even though operators should look out for other sports coverage as these vary per market. E.g., in South Africa Horse racing, Tennis, and Cricket follow football whereas for most of the rest of the markets in Africa Tennis, Basketball and cricket take a secondary lead after football so these will definitely define turnover if coverage of sports offered in balance per market preference.

Virtual sports are very popular in markets that are mainly retail based whereas this is different in highly online faceted markets as online casino games have become secondary favorites after football even though for some markets virtual sports have proved to be a must-have product.

As mentioned earlier Online casino games are becoming very popular even though it’s important to note which providers one must have as their top inclusions on their platforms. The majority of sportsbooks have online casino games but their turnovers are still lagging behind because they haven’t taken into account which providers are favorites per specific markets. As experts in the region we are at your service to assist you make the best offering based on the market one may plan to establish their operations or are based.

Localization

Localization is key to commercial growth therefore is one of the key aspects operators must focus on as copy and paste will definitely cripple chances of succeeding in the region. When it comes to localization this entails product offering, services, operations, and modes of marketing & advertisement. Extensive research which would include all aspects of operations setup is very necessary I.e., from development strategies, marketing & advertisement, CRM systems and other tools that will best serve specific markets and then implement them is the best approach prior to investing heavily in marketing and advertisement that will yield very minimal results. Of course, constant analysis, development, and improvement are an essential part of the game too.

Lastly, localization player experience is also among the top priorities, which would allow the operator to create the most user-friendly journeys for each market.

Staff

The human factor is a very key factor of the equation too, operators should focus most on local professionals – employees/consultants who have experience and understand the best skills, and technical know-how when it comes to the implementation of most aspects of day-to-day operations.

Automation

In order to be fast and agile and to move with the pulse of the business, operators must invest heavily in the automation of processes. Every big idea should be automated immediately, and every human decision documented in a way that makes operating easy even for people who have never run a betting site together with local experience and know-how this combination will definitely be a great factor in driving success.

Payment methods

Mobile money is the most popular payment method across most key markets in Africa so this is a must-have and then other payment methods can be availed to as some advanced markets like South Africa have already advanced to top-level methods like those in the UK and the rest of Europe. While Mobile money is the most popular method of payment these differ based on specific markets e.g. Safaricom (Mpesa), Airtel & MTN are the leaders in most markets followed by other telecom providers like Vodafone, Glo, etc.

Compliance Expertise

Legal issues can greatly jeopardize the growth of the gambling business in some parts of Africa. The continent doesn’t have a long history in online gambling and while local authorities are figuring out the best frameworks to legalize betting, operators should be extremely adaptive as the legal frameworks are vastly different per market.

With very extensive experience across different markets in Africa having carried out marketing & advertisement campaigns for many tier-one African-based sportsbooks we are at your service to assist your operations get the desired market shares.

By Najib Balinda

Popular igaming payment method in Africa – MOBILE MONEY

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Overview

Mobile Money is an electronic wallet service that allows you to store, send and receive money using your mobile phone. The key requirement is to have a telecommunication provider Simcard, for Africa main providers are MTN Group, Airtel, Safaricom, and Vodafone.

As Mobile numbers are a key requirement to opening an igaming account for punters to place bets/ play online casinos this paved way for integrations to be made into gaming and betting online platforms where punters can easily deposit money into their accounts with a few clicks from the mobile phones and also be able to withdraw their winnings straight to their mobile wallets.

Our Blog will highlight the role of mobile money services in the practice of gambling in general in Africa and another key must-know about the payment service (Mobile Money).

Mobile money is one of the best things to happen to Africa – For a continent where the habit of banking is growing but not at a pace that catalyzes fast development, mobile money revolutionized the handling of money for paying for products & services and embracing many industries including the gaming & betting industry too across all gaming markets in Africa.

 Before Mobile money, it was simply the physical betting outlets and online banking cards that didn’t really sit well with the majority of the clientele base that betting in Africa targeted. After its introduction, the industry couldn’t be rivaled by the amount of money that was moving through its systems on a daily basis. What spurred the phenomenon, even more, was the rapid growth of both mobile and internet penetration across many countries. The spread of Chinese-made cheap smartphones also ensured that everything was accomplished with simply a few clicks which paved largely the growth of online sports betting & gaming.

General Highlights

  • Sub-Saharan Africa is home to more mobile money users than any other region in the world, with over 200 million active mobile money users by the end of 2021. This represents around half of the global total active accounts.
  • Value of Mobile money transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa – 697.7bn USD
  • Registered Mobile money accounts in East Africa as of 2021 – 296M
  • Value of mobile money transactions in East Africa – 403.bn USD
  • Leading service providers: MTN mobile money subscribers as of Sept 2021- 51.1M  and Mpesa (Safaricom) subscribers as of 2022 – 52M

Mobile money is undergoing rapid growth in Africa, driven by improved access to technology, difficulties accessing traditional financial services, and an increase in contactless payments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For those with no access to banking services, mobile money provides financial inclusion, a way to participate in the economy without a bank account. This has led to a boom in the use of mobile money in Africa, one of the most underbanked regions in the world. In 2019, 200 million users made 24.46 billion mobile money transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, and Northern Africa, accounting for 64.15 of all transactions made worldwide. Of the 690.1 billion U.S. dollars in mobile money transactions made in 2019, 456.3 billion U.S. dollars were exchanged in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mobile money has become a big business for telecommunication providers in Africa. Approximately 144 mobile money providers operate in Sub-Saharan Africa, with two companies such as M-Pesa, MTN, and Orange Money accounting for a significant share of the market.

M-Pesa, managed by Vodafone and Safaricom and operating in seven countries, has seen significant growth in recent years. The service attracted an additional 12 million users from 2017 to 2020, reaching 41.5 million users by 2020. M-Pesa users made 12.2 billion transactions in 2020, generating 784.36 million U.S. dollars in revenue for parent company Safaricom. MoMo – MTN Group’s mobile money offering – has enjoyed similar growth – reaching 35.1 million active customers in March 2020.

The effect of under banking on the use of mobile money can be seen in Southern Africa, where banking services are easier to access. Mobile money has gained less of a foothold in that region, suggesting that unless another solution to financial exclusion in parts of Africa is discovered, the use of mobile money in Africa is set to grow even better in the future.

Mobile money accounts in Africa by region 2021 (in millions)

CharacteristicRegistered accountsActive accounts
East Africa296102
West Africa23758
Central Africa6019
Southern Africa134
North Africa151

Conclusion:  Mobile Money is a must-have payment gateway for any gaming or sports betting operator wishing to expand its operations into Africa

By Najib Balinda attributed to Statista.

SCCG and Genius Gaming Consult Enter into Business Development Partnership for Africa

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Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management announced a business development partnership with Genius Gaming Consult of Kampala, Uganda, for the gaming market in Africa.

SCCG and Genius Gaming Consult enter into business development partnership for Africa

Crystal said of the announcement,

“We are extremely proud to be partnering with Mr. Najib Balinda, Genius Gaming’s Chief Business Development Officer – Africa, and their extended team. This group of seasoned gaming executives was a perfect fit for SCCG, both in terms of culture and vision, as we seek to build and extend the successes of the Casino Gaming, iGaming and Sports Wagering sectors within Africa. With a market whose revenue is expected to grow from USD 3B today, to USD 5B by 2030, largely concentrated in South Africa, we see tremendous opportunity for government regulated industry growth throughout the continent.”

With the collaboration of SCCG Management and Genius Gaming Consult, focusing on the growth and extension of regulated Gaming and iGaming for Africa at the B2B level, we are able to provide tremendous value to operators and suppliers who share this vision. Our ability to deploy turnkey services regionally, allow us to immediately add value to our business partners, including:

  • Feasibility Market Reports and Business Plans
  • License Application and Acquisition Support
  • Business Development and Management
  • Talent Acquisition and Placement
  • B2B Partnership Development and Negotiation
  • Due Diligence and Regulatory Reviews
  • Marketing and Advertising Support

This very special partnership between SCCG Management and Genius Gaming Consult allow us to bring the very best capabilities with respect to operations, systems, technology, platforms and content into Africa’s fast growing, high value Casino and iGaming markets.

ABOUT GENIUS GAMING CONSULT

Genius gaming consult (GGC) is a consulting firm servicing the gaming/gambling industry across Africa.Our services primarily include feasibility market report, B2B/B2C business development & management, operations setup/expansion, partnership setups, marketing and advertisement, license application and acquisition to sports betting, Casinos, Lotteries, Bingo & Esports operators, software & sports data providers, Slot machine manufacturers & service providers, investors, regulatory bodies and governments.

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About SCCG Management

SCCG specializes in sports betting and data, developing worldwide brands, representation before governmental agencies for complex regulatory matters, intellectual property, and strategic business development within international, land-based casinos, internet gambling, gaming, esports, and entertainment markets.

https://sccgmanagement.com

Contact

Stephen A. Crystal

Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 702-427-9354

Email: Stephen.Crystal@sccgmanagement.com

Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sccg-management

SCCG and Uganda’s Genius Gaming Consult sign Africa-oriented business development partnership

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Gaming and sports betting consultancy SCCG Management announced Monday a business development partnership with Genius Gaming Consult of Kampala, Uganda, for the gaming market in Africa.

Confirming the news, Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG, said: “We are extremely proud to be partnering with Mr. Najib Balinda, Genius Gaming’s Chief Business Development Officer – Africa, and their extended team. This group of seasoned gaming executives was a perfect fit for SCCG, both in terms of culture and vision, as we seek to build and extend the successes of the Casino Gaming, iGaming, and Sports Wagering sectors within Africa.”

Crystal cited projections that argue the African market, largely concentrated in South Africa, could grow from $3 billion today to $5 billion by 2030. “We see tremendous opportunity for government-regulated industry growth throughout the continent,” SCCG’s CEO added.

Through the collaboration of SCCG Management and Genius Gaming Consult, focusing on the growth and extension of regulated Gaming and iGaming for Africa at the B2B level, both parties would be able to provide “value” to operators and suppliers who “share this vision.” SCCG’s ability to deploy turnkey services regionally also allows it to “immediately add value” to business partners.

This includes areas such as feasibility market reports and business plans; license application and acquisition support; business development and management; talent acquisition and placement; B2B partnership development and negotiation; due diligence and regulatory reviews; marketing and advertising support.

“This very special partnership between SCCG Management and Genius Gaming Consult allows us to bring the very best capabilities with respect to operations, systems, technology, platforms, and content into Africa’s fast growing, high-value Casino and iGaming markets,” the parties concluded.

SCCG Management partners with Genius Gaming Consult for African gaming market

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The focus of the partnership will be to grow and expand regulated gaming at the B2B level in Africa.

A business development partnership between SCCG Management and Genius Gaming Consult (GGC) will look to develop iGaming in Africa. With B2B expansion and growth, SCCG will provide GGC with turnkey services and a plethora of options.

Steven Crystal is the Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, Crystal said: “We are extremely proud to be partnering with Mr. Najib Balinda, Genius Gaming’s Chief Business Development Officer – Africa, and their extended team.”

He continued: “This group of seasoned gaming executives was a perfect fit for SCCG, both in terms of culture and vision, as we seek to build and extend the successes of the Casino Gaming, iGaming and Sports Wagering sectors within Africa.”

Genius Gaming Consult is a consulting firm that services the gaming/gambling industry across Africa. The company’s primary services include feasibility market report; B2B/B2C business development & management; operations setup/expansion and partnership setups.

The company also deals in license application and acquisition to sports betting, casinos and lotteries.

SGGC will provide Genius Gaming Consult with services such as talent acquisition and placement, marketing and advertising support, and more.

Crystal went on to say: “With a market whose revenue is expected to grow from $3bn today to $5bn by 2030, largely concentrated in South Africa, we see tremendous opportunity for government regulated industry growth throughout the continent.”

In April of 2022, GGC announced another partnership with 888 Holdings. Named 888Africa, the new operator will launch four regulated markets on the continent. Christopher Coyne will serve as 888Africa’s CEO. He was formerly with the Stars Group.

Coyne said: “We are delighted to launch alongside 888. Partnering with 888 will give us access to a world-class brand, as well as a broad team of experts to support our growth plans, further enhancing our confidence in our future prospects.”

888 Holdings Chief Executive Itai Pazner added: “We are very excited to establish 888Africa alongside such an impressive roster of industry talent.”