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Content 12
14 THE LANDSCAPE OF AFRICA B e t t in g M g z
A strongly regulated region.
As gambling shifts online amid COVID-19, users are turning to crypto payments.
18 GAMING IN BRAZIL
36 PLAY N GO
The current situation on the Brazilian Gambling framework.
20 ARGENTINA: CURRENT SITUATION Argentina is more complex than any other country in latin America...
22 GLI
24 KIRON INTERACTIVE
26 BTOBET
Opta Joe and the search for the perfect sports insight.
Betcris exclaims in the face of a changing market, “We don’t restrict or ban winning players”..
Join the adventure with Vibra Gaming’s The Phantom™.
46 GIG
All eyes on Africa.
GiG announces its new representative for LatAm and Europe: Xavier Besseau.
28 PRONET GAMING
48 ASTROPAY
Is it crunch time for mobile betting in Africa?.
30 AFFILIATION
The expansion of digital payments in Africa.
50 WORLD MATCH
How to choose the best affiliation program?
32 EVENBET GAMING
¡Step up your game!
52 JAZZ GS
Why online poker isn’t doing well only because of the pandemic
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PRINTING SII s.r.l. Viel 1735 - CABA CONTACT
38 STATS PERFORM
44 VIBRA GAMING
Interview with Steven Spartinos, co-CEO of Kiron Interactive.
CONTENT & DESIGN Latam Media Group lmgmas.com
MORE Quality. In Everything.
42 BETCRIS
Navigating the African Gaming Landscape.
DIRECTOR RESPONSIBLE EDITOR Jorge Omar Gómez
34 CRYPTOPROCESSING
White Label experts.
Betting Magazine Rey del Bosque 411 Luján. (Bs. As.) Tel: 011.15 5312.6365 sales@bettingmgz.com Year 8 Edition Nº 31 Edition Date: ICE Africa. - October 2020 All rights reserved Registration of intellectual porperty in process. FREE Distribution Magazine
This magazine´s purpose is to provide reading material and general information, its content covers issues related to the sports, virtual and online betting sector; it also contains institutional information. The content of the notes and advertisements is not the responsibility of the publisher, but of the companies and / or signatories.
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Africa: a strongly regulated region
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With a population of 1.26 billion people, Africa is the second most populous continent in the world. With a scenario that presents that 35 of its 54 countries are already working on mobile sports betting, mobile payments is the most used payment method in the continent, and a legal panorama in many countries of the region that offers an important base stability for traders, one can easily assume that this is a market with lot of potential. The African online gambling industry presents operators with enormous potential for exponential growth and development. Considering the regulations and the challenges in the African market, the industry is emerging as an opportunity to attract large investments in the region. Aside from the giants Nigeria and Kenya, there´s a second wave of countries that are improving their technological and regulatory frameworks. These jurisdictions are becoming very attractive business niches, especially for sports betting providers, as Africans are known around the world for being great soccer fans.
GHANA According to its regulations, the Ghana Gaming Commission is responsible for licensing gaming operators. This agency depends on the Ministry of the Interior and was established under the Gaming Law 721 (2006), a document that legalized all forms of gambling except the lottery. It has, just after Nigeria, the second most liberal gambling policy in West Africa. NIGERIA It launched its first online lottery and three casinos in 2004. In 2013, was created the first online casino. It´s becoming a very mature market, with significant year-on-year growth. Sports betting has slowly become an important industry and is leading the path for other African countries to bet on this business segment.
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ZAMBIA The Zambian Casino Act of 1992 amended existing casino and gaming machine laws that prohibited gambling, allowing licensed establishments to offer vertical gaming to people across the country. There are also other laws such as the Gambling Control Law, last amended in 1994, and the Lottery Law. it is also a very solid regulated market.
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UGANDA Online and land-based gaming operations are overseen by the Uganda National Gaming Board. However, restrictions on sports betting seem increasingly likely, and the local government claims that the industry is generating gambling addiction between young people. According to data provided by the government, the sports betting industry has quadrupled during the last four years.
KENYA The National Gambling Control and Licensing Board grants licenses, empowered by the Gambling, Lottery and Gaming Law. However, the government is planning major changes in online gaming laws and has launched an offensive against operators.
TANZANIA Online games have been legal since December 1999, through an amendment to the Gaming Law. Through this amendment, only fixed odds betting, sports betting, simulated games and lotteries were initially allowed. In 2011, the Gaming Board drafted a new legislation for online gambling, which allowed online casino games. Today, the Tanzania Gambling Board can issue licenses for online casinos and sports betting.
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MOZAMBIQUE According to Law 1/2010 and Law 9/2012, all operators must be licensed in accordance with Mozambican laws to operate locally. This also applies to the offer of online gambling services.
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Legal Landscape in Africa The Legal Landscape for Gaming specifically sports products in Africa is a lot more stable than one would think from the outside looking inwards. NIGER
Regulated Countries in West Africa NIGERIA GHANA IVORY COAST SENEGAL BURKINA-FASO LIBERIA SIERRA LEONE TOGO NIGER, ETC
SENEGAL BURKINA FASO NIGERIA SIERRA LEONE LIBERIA
IVORY COAST
GHANA TOGO
CAME
GAB
Regulated Countries in Central Africa CONGO DRC CONGO BRAZAVILLE GABON CAMEROON
C BRA
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Regulated Countries in East Africa
EROON UGANDA KENYA
BON
CONGO AZAVILLE
RWANDA
CONGO DRC
KENYA UGANDA TANZANIA RWANDA
TANZANIA
Regulated Countries in South Africa
ANGOLA ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA
ANGOLA LESOTHO NAMIBIA SOUTH AFRICA
LESOTHO
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BOTSWANA
MOZAMBIQUE
SOUTH AFRICA BOTSWANA MOZAMBIQUE ZIMBABWE ZAMBIA
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The current situation on the Brazilian Gambling framework
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The following are the most recent updated on the Brazilian Gambling Framework considering the impacts causes by the COVID-19 pandemic. SPORTS BETTING Fixed Odd Sports Betting was legalized by the Provisional Measure 846/2018, now Federal Law 13.756/2018. The matter awaits regulation by the Brazilian Ministry of Economy via its Secretariat SECAP. Currently, it is expected a Concession Model, with a limited number of licenses (about 30, but not definitive), with regulation to be ready until the end of the 2020, with bidding process to begin in early 2021.
CASINO LEGISLATION The expectation is that the Integrated Casino Resorts will become legal as Senator Flávio Bolsonaro took the matter on his own hands, joining The Chamber speaker Rodrigo Maia and other deputies, and important names such as the Mayor and Governor of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Tourism Minister came forward in favor of the Resort Casinos. He also included the legalization of Casinos as a priority project for the upcoming moments. In this same way, Senator Irajá presented the bill 4.495/2020, which allows the implantation of Casino resorts, which would combine hotel facilities, convention centers, spaces for fairs, exhibitions, corporate events, congresses and seminars, incentive meetings, ecumenical centers, in addition to different entertainment and convenience options offered to the visitor, such as restaurants, bars, spas, shopping centers, art galleries, museums, theaters, golf courses, theme parks, water parks and other options. Senator Irajá had a meeting recently with the Ministry of Economy, Paulo Guedes, in which they discussed the bill. In addition, The Federal Senate’s Committee on Regional Development and Tourism (CDR) gave a favorable opinion on the approval of the PL 2648/2019, which was presented by Senator Roberto Rocha, for the legalization of Casino resorts. Recently, Senator Roberto Rocha has requested for Speaker Davi Alcolumbre for a joint processing of PL 2648/2019 and bill 4.495/2020. ICE Af ri ca Di gi tal Ed iti on
Representatives from Casino Groups had meetings with Senators in Brasilia, and the Speaker of the Senate – Davi Alcolumbre – has reportedly agreed to put the bill 4.495/2020 to be voted. An interlocutor from Alcolumbre declared that the politician is endeavoring to have the project evaluated shortly after the end of the municipal elections, which second round will take place on November 29, a Sunday.
LOTEX – BRAZILIAN INSTANT LOTTERIES IGT and Scientific Games (Estrela Instantânea consortium) officially announced they have left the LOTEX concession in Brazil. The decision is due to the fact that CAIXA failed to comply with deadlines to authorize the use of its lottery network, and also due to the STF’s decision to authorize states to explore lotteries, forcing everyone to rethink the original deal.
PROVISIONAL MEASURE Nº 923/2020 – PLV Nº 16/20 - PRIZES DISTRIBUTION BY TV AND RADIO NETWORK
The mentioned PM (now Law 14.027/2020) was approved by the Congress, and awaits regulation by the Ministry of Economy (no money distribution shall be allowed).
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President Bolsonaro issued a provisional measure which authorizes the free distribution of prizes for advertising when carried out by drawing, gift certificate, contest or similar operation by television or radio networks (Federal, State and Regional levels - PM 923/2020).
The definitive text of Law 14.027/2020 presented some changes in comparison to the original one. The Law REPEALED article 84-B of Law 13,019/2014, also reforming Law 5.768/1971. This affects another modality of authorized prizes distribution model which used to be authorized by Article 84-B: The distribution or promise of distribution of prizes, through sweepstakes, gift certificates, contests or similar operations, in order to raise additional resources for their maintenance or funding to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). This operation did not require any authorization from the authorities, however, after the approval of Law 14.027/2020, such drawings by Civil Society Organization need to be conducted based on Law 5.768/1971, which requires a prior authorization to such drawings, and not based on Law 13,019/2014 anymore.
ONLINE GAMING During the vote session of the PM 923/2020 the speaker Rodrigo Maia spoke in favor of the legalization of Online Gaming tax collection.
STATE LOTTERIES AND THE SUPREME COURT The Brazilian Supreme Court unanimously decided to end the federal government’s monopoly for the exploitation of lotteries in Brazil. Now, the States may also conduct lottery operations. However, it is still uncertain how the States will be able to conduct such operations. Such rules and guides shall be disclosed by the Brazilian Supreme Court soon, which will modulate the effects of the decision. The Brazilian Lottery market changes substantially, assured that the 26 states and the Federal District are from now on able to explore lotteries.
A political Party (PHS) filed a Lawsuit (ADPF 563) at the Supreme Federal Court to restore the right of any individual to legally exploit betting. The Party understands that Decree-Laws 3,688, of 1941 (Law of Criminal Misdemeanors) and 9,215, of 1946, offend Fundamental Rights, Freedoms and Constitutional Principles. This ADPF is also pending of analysis. Fuente: Edgar Lenzi, Founder and Director of BetConsult and Marcelo Munhoz da Rocha, Advisor and a Gambling Specialist at BetConsult.
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SUPREME COURT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE PROHIBITION OF GAMBLING
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Argentina: Current Situation Argentina is more complex than any other country in latin America, when we discuss about online gambling regulation, , since it has 24 jurisdictions and each of its provinces has autonomy to regulate online gambling PENDING The Province of Buenos Aires, in March 2019, through the former Governor Maria Eugenia Vidal authorized online sports betting to be managed by the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (IPLyC). By the end of 2019, the Licensing Evaluation Commission had already selected seven of the 16 companies that had submitted for tender. However, the change in political authorities slowed this process. In relation to the City of Buenos Aires, also in 2019, and in parallel with the Province, online gambling and sports betting were approved. The difference is that the same political party continued to govern the City in 2020. So, there was an evolution in this process. The virtual betting system in the City, managed by LOTBA, would start operating before the end of the year.
NEW The endless quarantine, the closure of casinos, bingos and slot halls and the indefinition of the state creates pressure on regulators and produces changes that were unthinkable in the pre-pandemic scenario. The worst part is that there´s no exact date for casinos and gambling halls to reopen and receive people as they used to. Even if they open with the implementation of health protocols, both the flow of players and their operation will be reduced in a 50% of their capacity. ICE Af ri ca Di gi tal Ed iti on
The extension of online gambling licenses in slots, casino and virtual games will definitely help, since it will give landbased operators the opportunity to increase their balances and will allow the state to collect a fee, since the income from the game is and will continue to be strongly diminished. Most of the businessmen and lots of provinces demonstrate (through law amendments) that they need to restart the gaming industry economy, so they can leave behind the pandemic, which brought a huge deficit, but also made the whole industry think about teh near future. This new scenario can be tricky, because some provincial regulators are planning to give online gaming licenses just to landbased casinos or bingos.
These are the jurisdictions that allow landbased casinos and bingos to implement the new online slots and casino games:
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SANTA FE City Center de Rosario Casinos Santa Fe MelincuĂŠ
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CIUDAD DE BUENOS AIRES Casino Buenos Aires HipĂłdromo de Palermo NEUQUEN Online license was extended for landbased operators
The decree also indicates that the regulatory entity have the police authority to regulate the technological devices and platforms that the companies will apply, as well as the controls and approval of the certificates. This situation can make that in different provinces, landbased operators demand their regulators to give them online gaming licenses due to their financial problems. This can bring an exponencial growth of online gaming in the whole country. Something that was inimaginable before the pandemic. may lead to local physical operating companies that are enduring the same situation in other provinces, requiring their regulators to enable them to extend the online gaming license only in the mode of cloth games and virtual slots with the same arguments of stop and loss of income or closure thereof. This may lead to an unusual growth in the online gambling operation in the country, unthinkable in the prepandemic scenario.
The federal nature of Argentina is really problematic if someone seeks a common law for all the provinces. The cases of Santa Fe, the city of Buenos Aires and Neuquen can be a milestone for the rest of the provinces. This new modo, where the government gives online gambling licenses for casino and slots just to landbased operators, can generate that each province becomes an individual market of online gaming. All this pushed by the closure of casinos and bingos during the pandemic.
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Before the pandemic you could legally bet online in just a few provinces, but the situation is really different nowadays. Operators, regulators and industry in general need to adapt and see how they can fit in this new scenario.
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“Navigating the African Gaming Landscape� The last several months have been trying for the global gaming industry. As the spread of Covid-19 precipitated the need for temporary closures of land-based gaming facilities, suppliers and operators began to look to iGaming and sports betting as potential means to continue to provide entertainment to players and increase revenue.
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Devon Dalbock
GLI Africa General Manager
African people love sport, especially football or soccer, with the English Premier League being one of the most popular sports followed. It is understandable then that sports betting has become extremely popular throughout Africa over the last few years. However, sports betting remains mostly retail dominated due to the high data costs in most African countries. This added to the high cost of smartphones means that most punters will place their bets at one of the ubiquitous sports betting retail shops dotted across the continent from big cities to small rural villages. These sports betting shops are often managed on a franchise basis with the licensor providing the systems and branding. These shops range from tiny stores of only a few square meters with one cashier and a television screen or two, to larger fully automated stores offering other forms of entertainment such as slot machines, bars, and restaurants. The rapid expansion of mobile telecommunication infrastructure and mobile payment technologies such as M-Pesa has opened new channels for operators, with some offering free data once logged into their site. This combined with mostly USSD transactions and simple lottery instant win type games is starting to attract a different demographic of player, and operators are reporting a rise in the number of female iGaming players in the once male dominated sports betting segment.
Navigating the uncharted and shifting waters of the African gaming market and its evolving regulations can seem daunting. However, the good news is while this market may be new to you, the global professionals at GLI have been helping regulators, lawmakers, suppliers, and operators successfully traverse this exciting market for more than 30 years. In fact, GLI is the only lab working with all African jurisdictions, existing and emerging, and the company’s experts are here to help. So relax; together we can do this. Because of their online nature, iGaming and sports betting come with inherent technological challenges, and GLI’s professional services team is here to help regulators and operators successfully tackle the challenges, from geolocation to change management, from continuous compliance to the constantly shifting world of cybersecurity. These are concerns that every regulator, supplier, and operator must be actively addressing, and GLI can help ease your concerns. The world has shifted. Everyone in the gaming industry is rooting for land-based gaming to fully return and be even more successful than before. At the same time, it is necessary for regulators to consider online gaming options, not just as a contingency plan, but also because today’s players enjoy having a choice of going to their favorite land-based casino, enjoying the game online, or a hybrid of both experiences. Regardless of the reason to explore the African gaming market, GLI is here to help by providing the knowledge, assurance, relationships, and connections to take you from where you are now to wherever you want to go.
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As operators and suppliers in existing jurisdictions can attest, there was indeed an uptick in online gaming business as land-based casinos closed. For regulators and lawmakers in jurisdictions who had not yet implemented online gaming, the situation left some feeling a greater sense of urgency to move forward with the technology. Every jurisdiction is different, and operators and suppliers will want to consider what types of gaming will be most appealing to their players and can be best incorporated into existing regulation or into new regulation.
Regardless of the path operators and suppliers choose, the standards GLI-19 and GLI-33 are widely accepted across African jurisdictions. Like other standards in the GLI Standards Series, jurisdictions across the continent have adopted GLI-19 and GLI-33, and they provide a wealth of information on best practices to implement and pitfalls to avoid. In this same vein, suppliers worldwide have built their platforms to GLI19 and GLI-33, streamlining the adoption of their technologies in existing and emerging jurisdictions.
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he African continent is home to some 1,3 billion people with almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, and a median age of 19. This translates into a large and potentially lucrative market for gaming suppliers and operators.
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Steven Spartinos, co-CEO of Kiron Interactive We are always looking to better our offering across the board, from the game play and graphics to the commentary and bet markets, in order to cater for what our clients need and what their customers want. Virtual content was brought into the limelight this year as operators and players alike turned to virtual games in the absence of sports betting. As the market stabilises, what’s next for the vertical? Virtuals benefited from the suspension of real sports for the duration of the lockdowns but have also experienced an enduring benefit thereafter. A large number of new players experienced the excitement of betting on virtuals for the first time during the hiatus and have continued to do so even following the return of real sports.
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These current times have proven that virtuals are a key player in the betting and gaming landscape, offering huge benefits as a complementary product to the much-loved live sports, but also as a standalone vertical. The great thing about virtual content is that it is dynamic; not just in terms of product, but in other elements such as technology, regulation, new market openings and much more. The high frequency nature of virtual sports, together with the realistic game play and betting options, has seen it attract a large and diverse audience that continues to grow rapidly. Suppliers, like Kiron, are therefore continuously innovating and further expanding the capabilities of their technology to accommodate for the changing needs of operators in each market. As the vertical matures, innovation is becoming increasingly important, and so too is the need for suppliers to tailor their products to suit shifting preferences. This will be
Steven Spartinos
Co-Ceo of Kiron Interactive
Steven Spartinos is co-founder and co-CEO of virtual games provider Kiron Interactive. Established in 2001, the specialist supplier now services web, mobile, and land-based sportsbook and casino operators on five continents. Prior to joining the betting and gaming industry, Steven worked in banking and finance.
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amplified as more markets open and demand for new types of virtual sports rises, requiring significant investment in new games and formats. At the same time, the expansion of the vertical online is prompting the development of more instant win games.
How is Kiron advancing its offering to keep attracting new players and appeal to a wider audience? Understanding your market is key. For a product to really resonate with the target audience the player must be front of mind throughout the development process. We are always looking to better our offering across the board, from the game play and graphics to the commentary and bet markets, in order to cater for what our clients need and what their customers want.
Kiron recently became the first provider to supply virtuals to South Africa’s online market. What other African nations are you active in and where do you see the most opportunity? Africa is a strong, diverse continent with many opportunities. We currently operate in over 33 countries across the continent with Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and of course South Africa being key markets. South Africa is our home, so becoming the first virtuals supplier in its online sector was a proud moment for our company and we’re excited for what the market has in store. On the whole, Africa’s betting and gaming industry is growing at a rapid rate, propelled by maturing economies and technological advancements. If the current momentum continues, the region will become a major contender on the global stage. That is not to say that operating there is without challenges, but we work closely with our local partners and provide on the ground support to help drive the industry’s development.
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Offering localised content that is another critical factor. A one size fits all approach does not sit with virtuals; you have to take each market as an individual. Our strategy is therefore very customer focused, with our teams working closely with operators to ensure that our products are positioned correctly and designed to both attract and engage players. We believe it’s about making sure you have the best ingredients for a winning recipe –
not only on a product and portfolio level, but everything else that comes with our service. With that in mind, there are many exciting things happening at Kiron which we will be announcing soon.
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All eyes on Africa The scenario is fastly changing for a region which has constantly been deemed as one of the most appealing emerging markets.
Alessandro Fried Founder of BtoBet
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ata recently published by H2 Gambling Capital indicates that in its current state Africa is on track to account for only 1% of the global Gross Gaming Revenue in 2020. Nonetheless whilst this may seem to be a meagre result for a continent accounting for 1.2 billion people, and with poverty an emerging middleclass coupled with strong economic growth especially in the sub-Saharan region are supporting a growth forecast well above the global rate up to 2025.
THE INDUSTRY’S CURRENT STATUS The scenario is fastly changing for a region which has constantly been deemed as one of the most appealing emerging markets, yet which
still lags behind the more mature ones in terms of technological infrastructure, regulations and payment gateways. The rise of the digital channel is underpinning the local industry’s growth, with online channels for 2019 equating for 23% of the total betting across Africa. And with online and mobile being the fastest-growing markets this growth is set to be further pronounced in the medium term. This growth margin potential is further highlighted by H2’s data which when taking into consideration the total gambling GGR, the figures are 12% for online, with 40% of that via mobile. And it is this increasing internet penetration and the rising popularity of smartphones aligned
to a more accessible online payments system that present operators with the ideal room for expansion, being able to reach a wider portion of the population.
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NECESSITATING A MICRO APPROACH Whilst the continent has been garnering interest from operators and service providers alike for quite some years, there still is the erroneous misconception that Africa is one large country, with no particular emphasis made on the different traditions, betting behaviours and habits. We are not talking solely about the obvious language, cultural and religious elements, but more specifically the more significant differences that distinguish the iGaming industry on a country-by-country basis such as annual revenue per user, betting behaviour, and preferred payment methods. These important differences immediately crop out when comparing the data of the two countries that represent the primary reference for the continent’s industry in the sub-Saharan region – Kenya and Nigeria. Whilst in Kenya 56% of the population aged over 15 years of age has an account with a financial institution, and 73% has a mobile money account, this couldn’t be more different in Nigeria where 39% of the population has a bank account, and only 5.6% of the population has a mobile money account. This difference also manifests itself in the way the two populations look towards online payments, with 26% of the population in Kenya making online purchases or paying bills online, whilst in Nigeria this drops to 6.3%. It goes without saying that success in the region depends on looking at the microeconomic influences that drive the differences in traditional betting behaviour, tax structures and mobile payment adoption with each country necessitating a bespoke approach.
As technology and regulations continue to evolve, the online channels are set to further take up a larger market share. This shift towards the online has been further accelerated by the impacts that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the predominant retail sector, and many experts are deeming the current crisis as the kick-start the continent needs in order for people to move away from the retail channels.
Does this mean that the traditional brick and mortar shops will be a thing of the past? Definitely not, especially when considering the strong cultural ties that these shops tend to have in the local communities where they transform themselves into social hubs where people get together to watch sports. It’s a given fact that many still prefer to bet offline than online, partly because of trust issues, but also because betting in retail shops creates a social environment for consumers where they can meet others and watch sport in those shops. Many local players still like to bet in physical cash, and get a physical bet slip, and many of them do not have access to payment methods that they can use online, like bank accounts or cards. Mobile data is still remains relatively expensive in Africa, so betting online is more restrictive than in more mature markets. Nonetheless African governments as a whole are becoming aware that the online betting and gaming industry offers a great revenue driver. And this coupled with the technological advances the continent is registering promises to transform Africa into a perfect habitat for the iGaming industry to nourish.
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A SHIFT TOWARDS THE ONLINE
This shift will become more evident in the coming post-Covid months, where players will realise that through their smartphones, laptops or tablets, they will not only be able to place their bets in a more accessible and convenient way, but will have at their disposal a wider selection of options through which they can entertain themselves.
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Is it crunch time for mobile betting in Africa? The African region has been high on the agenda for international betting and gaming companies for several years. Some have already taken the plunge and entered markets with full force, while others have kept a watchful eye on developments, biding their time. Either way, the interest is with good reason.
Bobby Longhurst
CCO of Pronet Gaming
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W
ith a large, diverse population, maturing economies and a handful of well-established retail sports betting markets, the continent is not short of potential. After the challenges that 2020 has thrown at the sector, however, with land-based operations being shuttered for the best part of the year, it feels like a wind of change is in the air - and it is blowing in the direction of mobile.
Part of the reason for this is that Covid-19 has forced attitudes to shift. Before the pandemic, retail had dominated Africa’s core sports betting markets, and the local land-based heavyweights showed no real signs of loosening their grip. Although moves had been made into mobile, they hadn’t taken off quite as fast as some would have hoped. There’s been a certain distrust of the online offer, both from operators and players, with a lack
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of enthusiasm when it comes to really taking the leap and investing in development. The high cost of data and unreliable network connections have contributed to the slow uptake, with regulation and tax condition proving equally prohibitive. Of course, anyone serious about approaching Africa knows that this is a very high-level overview. The picture differs widely from nation to nation. Even the most promising betting and gaming markets of Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and, increasingly, the Ivory Coast, are at different stages of development and incredibly nuanced for that exact reason. Some of these nuances are more pronounced, such as the payment and mobile infrastructure or the legal frameworks, while others are more subtle, yet affect everything from the business culture to way players bet. If the pandemic has indeed given the online sector the kick start it needed, then this fragmentation will make it paramount to have boots on the ground. From our experience in African markets, which includes Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroon, Angola and Zambia, tailoring products and solutions to cater for operators’ unique requirements is the only way to succeed. Each brand has individual challenges wherever they are, which you need to understand for a partnership to work. For this reason, our platform has been built with superior localisation expertise and can be customised by partner to suit the needs of their target markets and the regulatory, technology or infrastructure challenges that come with the territory.
We are seeing greater progress with technological solutions, albeit to varying degrees depending on the market. USSD betting, which facilitates mobile-based wagering on lower grade devices without the need for Wifi, GPRS or 3G, has taken off in Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria – where basic phone usage outstrips smartphones. Opera Mini is another game changer, unlocking access to 120 million users of the mobile browser across the continent. Its dominance continues to grow from East to West, allowing operators to strip back a lot of the data heavy features of a mobile sportsbook, making it cheaper, easier, and quicker for punters to place bets. Enabling USSD and Opera Mini compatibility has been a core focus of Pronet Gaming and by doing so we have given our partners a competitive edge. We believe that with increased investment into online, combined with technological development and regulatory support, Africa’s mobile betting markets will soon be competing on the global stage. For those that want to be a part of the ride, having a local presence will be critical. It’s a critical time – but an exciting journey to be on.
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That isn’t to say that having a local presence smooths the ride completely. Electricity can be a major problem in certain markets, with power outages disrupting mobile communication networks along with WiFi. One solution is satellite distribution, but it doesn’t come cheap. And neither does mobile data. To some degree, the high cost of data has amplified difficulties in converting players to mobile, whilst also restricting the type of content available. Products need to be as light weight as possible to make it to market with a limiting effect on the experience. There is a growing trend of mobile network operators partnering with betting firms to offer
free browsing to mutual customers on their sportsbook, such as with MTN and Vodacom, but these arrangements only go some way to addressing the problem.
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How to choose the best affiliation program?
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f you have in mind that the iGaming Industry grows exponentially and that every time a player registers through your page you will get a percentage of their deposits until you stop being an affiliate of that operator (commission per lifetime), everything indicates that being an iGaming affiliate is a very good business. The strategy is to choose the best affiliation program. Before signing up, read every detail, specially the terms and conditions. By doing this, you´ll avoid surprises in your monthly payments. Operators usually charge an administrative fee and it´s important to know its percentage, and how do they break it down.
What features should you take into account: 1- First and foremost, which is the brand you are going to promote. It´s not the same to promote a brand that has brand awareness and has been in the market for years to a new one that we hardly know about, no matter how big the commission is. A lower revenue share with guarantees is better than great promises from brands that have no reputation in the market.
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2- Are the markets that the brands target settled with your webiste? Is it important to promote a brand that works for the markets your target audience is directed to, do you have a lot of traffic from Spain? Then look for a brand that´s positioned in that country, and if it´s a regulated country, it should be licensed. 3- Products offer. It´s better not to limit the offer, even if your website offer is sports betting. For example, if the brand also has a Casino or Bingo offer, your revenues will surely grow. This is due to the internal promotions that operators make to cross players towards different products. 4- Commission type. To establish a long term relationship between operator and affiliate, it´s
Samantha Asensi Senior iGaming Manager, +15yrs of experience. Affiliate Conference’s Speaker Europe & LatAm
always best to work with revenue share and no negative balance. This means that if your players win a prize (which is great), and your balance remains negative, at the end of month your account will be reset to 0, therefore, you will never have a negative balance in your affiliate account. 5- Having other commission options is always important, since you work more on SEO or PPC, then you may be more interested in a hybrid with a CPA + Rev Share. This way, you ensure that the cost of the player will be redeemed with your previous effort. 6- Make sure the operator has attractive content for your market and the proper payment methods in the countries you´re working on. 7- Check the platform for the affiliation program. It should provide statistics in real time, so you can optimize your campaigns. 8- Marketing materials are essential to promote brands properly. The best thing is to have an account manager, who provides you with the materials every time you need. Are you ready? Good luck!
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Why online poker isn’t doing well only because of the pandemic EvenBet Gaming CEO Dmitry Starostenkov speaks on the main factors that drive the online poker market forward.
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n 2020, we all in the online gaming industry have been asking ourselves if the growth caused by the lockdowns in most countries of the world is at all sustainable. We have been wondering if it could cause not just a temporary influx of players but the massive changes in gamblers’ behaviour. Poker that fared ultimately good in the first months of the pandemic was one of the most questionable verticals: it attracted a lot of sports betting fans who were expected to return to their favourite betting activities as soon as sports are back. But those who believed that the growth in online poker won’t last long miss one very important point: by 2020, online poker has been already growing for about three years. What are the reasons?
GROWTH DRIVEN BY NEW MARKETS
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The rise of online poker has started in 20162017, as the new online gaming markets were emerging. Regulation changes and new opportunities caused industry giants to come to South-East Asia, India, South and Latin America, and now to Africa. Online poker along with sports betting and casino games has got new potential multi-million audiences, and many of them loved it. EvenBet Gaming has already established its reputation as a trusted poker software vendor in Asia, and in 2019 we have started conquering Latin and South America with a poker network based in Colombia. Poker is in high demand
Dmitry Starostenkov CEO de EvenBet Gaming
across the region, however, there’s a lack of local operators targeting players in LatAm specifically, and poker players from Europe and North America are often too skilled for the beginners (the fact that stops many global operators from the huge growth in the emerging markets). Soon it’s going to be a year since a technical launch of our network, and over this time we’ve been adding new skins to it monthly. Players love poker here. And we are pretty much sure that in the most undiscovered region by now, in Africa, it’s going to find its audience as well.
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TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION Ten years back, to play online poker you would need to download and install an application on your computer. Now you may play whenever you want and wherever you like using mobile apps, web interfaces in any browser, or good old downloadable desktop client software. Most operators provide a seamless omnichannel experience, and that drives the whole iGaming market forward. Poker included. A lot of mobile-first and mobile-only poker solutions enjoy the success in the past few years, the functionality, safety, and performance of mobile applications have skyrocketed, and the whole markets – including South America, except Argentina – are 100% mobile. The easier is the access to gaming, the bigger is its prospective audience.
ALL-IN-ONE PLATFORMS
Therefore, casinos and sports betting operators have started to offer poker, lotteries, bingo,
EFFECTS OF COVID-19 Of course, when all the sports were stopped, live events cancelled, and landbased casinos closed due to the pandemic, activity in the online casinos and poker rooms increased greatly. All the gamblers looking for new entertainment opportunities turned to some other forms of gaming. Historically, poker was always popular among sports betting fans, since it’s not just a game of chance but also of the skills – as much as any bet for a football game. Moreover, you may play poker with your friends on Saturday night instead of watching games that were cancelled for an indefinite period. Therefore, in some countries the online poker revenue showed an amazing growth in Q2 2020: in Spain, it rose 97.4% per cent yearon-year, in France, 126%. And we can see the numbers coming only from the well-regulated, established, and saturated markets. But it’s important to understand that the pandemic was just a growth booster, not the reason. And after we are back to normalcy, we expect poker to be still a winner.
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The last five years were the times of merging and integration. As the online market grows, specialisation in one vertical (poker, sports betting, casino, esports…) becomes niche; most operators now work in several markets and provide complex offers including various gaming products to their players.
pretty much everything the market – and the players may switch between activities and choose the preferable one while staying with the operator.
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As gambling shifts online amid COVID-19, users are turning to crypto payments Online gambling may turn out to be one of the few winners of the coronavirus emergency. As the glitzy casino strips of Las Vegas and Monaco got eerily deserted, virtual casino subscriptions exploded. How will this transformation impact payment patterns in iGaming?
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he Las Vegas Strip has been closed for business for more than a month – and could stay closed for 6 months more, according to some experts. The same is happening in Monaco, Europe’s gambling hotspot. And while the venues in Monaco reopened in mid-March, they are facing a 95% drop in revenue for Q1 2020. It’s not surprising therefore that both casino operators and gamers are turning their attention to online gambling. FOX Bet reported that its online customer acquisition rate doubled in
March. Meanwhile, the number of people who play online poker has grown by 225% since March, according to Optimove. Even those users who don’t normally gamble could also start joining iGaming sites in search for new types of entertainment. Watching Netflix for hours every day does get tiring after a while, and the adrenaline rush of online poker or slots can seem like a relief from all the anxiety outside.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PAYMENTS Offline gamblers and bettors are used to paying with a debit card or in cash. However, when they
move online, they are confronted with a whole array of new payment options – several dozen on some sites.
A more interesting option is cryptocurrency. Over 100 online casinos already accept Bitcoin – the world’s largest digital coin with a market cap of $140 billion. Other top-20 crypto coins, such as Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Tether, are also widely supported. Interestingly, there are only a handful of major crypto payment providers serving all those casinos. The leader in terms of Bitcoin transactions numbers is Estonia-based Cryptoprocessing. com. It serves over 300 merchants, including such well-known partners as BitStarz, mBit and TrueFlip. In 2019 alone, it processed over €265m in payments.
Why switch to crypto? Paying in crypto on iGaming sites carries several important advantages for users: • Availability: crypto is the easiest option in those countries where gambling with a credit card isn’t allowed. A case in point is the UK, where even the popular financial app Revolut had to halt iGaming transactions after a nationwide ban.
INTEGRATING CRYPTO AND FIAT Understandably, many gambling operators are still cautious about cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is a highly volatile asset, and many merchants are reluctant to hold it on their books.
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Some of these exotic payment methods are regionally popular e-wallets, such as Skrill, EcoPayz, and Qiwi. Most of them are geared at users from certain countries and can handle specific currencies. Many e-wallets also feature KYC procedures, making them difficult to use for many international gamers.
70% in processing costs compared to traditional card payments – mainly because crypto transactions don’t involve an acquiring bank. This is a significant advantage, because iGaming businesses pay much higher acquiring fees due to their high-risk nature.
Some crypto payment providers address these concerns by integrating fiat support into their gateways. For example, Cryptoprocessing. com enables automatic conversion between 30+ crypto coins and over 20 fiat currencies. Moreover, merchants have access to 24/7, ondemand settlements in 6 fiat currencies, including EUR and USD. Before the pandemic, the online segment accounted for less than 10% of the total gambling market. In the next couple of years, this figure can grow much faster than the originally forecasted CAGR of 11.5% a year. At the same time, players’ habits will change, too, with a mass move away from bank cards and to cryptocurrencies. It will be interesting to see how offline casinos will react to this shift in payment once they reopen. Will they integrate crypto and expand their online presence? We’ll know in a few months.
• Speed: crypto transactions aren’t subject to stringent bank controls, so they are processed many times faster. For example, Cryptoprocessing.com offers instant deposits in BTC, BCH and ETH, while withdrawals can take as little as a few hours.
• Global access: apart from the countries where online gambling is banned, users from anywhere in the world can pay with crypto on equal terms. For casinos themselves, cryptocurrency payments are also much more than a marketing technique. They allow merchants to save up to
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• Low cost: while the average Bitcoin transaction fee hovers around $0.5, some coins charge almost no fees. This applies to transactions of any size, regardless of the country.
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MORE Quality. In Everything This year we as a company pledged to deliver 52 games into the market worldwide for our operators to use to entertain their audiences.
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owever it was not just a promise of for more titles than ever before, it was a promise of 52 quality titles that would enhance their offering in the market and, as 2020 draws to a close, we are in the home stretch with less than ten games to go. 52 was not just a magic number we plucked out of thin air to sound impressive; it was a carefully planned output that allowed us to offer more, without compromising on the level of entertainment and professionalism that we have built our name on.
And it has worked. From our very first slot release (Legacy of Dead) through to our latest title (Madame Ink), we have issued nothing but our best work, which can be seen in their performances. Titles like Rich Wilde & The Shield of Athena, Dawn of Egypt and, of course, Reactoonz 2 made immediate impacts on the markets and continue to perform strongly. Our dedication to creating outstanding entertainment experiences for players means that each game we make is a valuable asset for our operators. Our games are, first and foremost,
forms of entertainment and we aim to bring the best to the table each and every time.
We, as a whole, are maturing as an entertainment industry, just as viable an option as film, television or console gaming. As with any successful industry, the more we develop, the more structure is put in place to guide us and help us keep our integrity.
This commitment also gives our partners advantages in the market when it comes to our games and products. For instance, we ensure that all of our games are compliant across various regions so that they are released in multiple markets on the same day. So, no matter where our operators are based in the world, even if they operate in multiple regions at once, we do our best to ensure they can roll out a game as widely as possible from the beginning.
While many see regulation as a restrictive presence or a barrier to progress, we prefer to think of it as more of a sparring partner than an actual opponent. It keeps us on our toes, but we need it, and it needs us to ensure we continue to raise our game and stay in shape.
While different regulators in different countries continue to communicate and learn from each other, there is no large scale standardisation in the way markets work. Each country must be treated as a separate entity and given the utmost scrutiny to make sure we fall within the lines.
We’re thankful for regulation because, as one of the world’s leading suppliers, we are continually pushing the boundaries and breaking new ground as are others. Without regulators to keep us within the lines, the industry could collapse on itself.
Until that day, we have a world-class regulatory compliance team who keep us on the edge of all advancements, whatever or wherever they are. Whether it be new legal frameworks in Greece or the rapidly changing regulation we are currently seeing in Germany, you can be sure that we will be right there at the forefront, keeping up with developments.
Our commitment to being the leading supplier in regulated markets means we take that side
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However, it is not just in our products that we have to ensure quality and make sure that we remain on the cutting edge. There are so many different areas where we have to practice excellence to be certain that we keep our place as one of the top suppliers in the industry.
of the business extremely seriously, giving our operators peace of mind that they can provide our products to their players without fear of fines or penalties against them.
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Opta Joe and the search for the perfect sports insight We sat down with Duncan Alexander from Stats Perform’s sports data editorial operation, to see how he and his fellow statisticians support marketing and content teams, his search for the perfect sports insight and their new digital graphics content tool.
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n addition to supplying data-driven stories to the world’s sports broadcasters and media, Duncan is one of the founders of the hugely popular @OptaJoe Twitter account family, which have more than 2 million followers hungrily devouring their daily facts, insights and teasers, in multiple languages from English to Spanish to Arabic.
Can you tell me a bit about the data insights team at Stats Perform? Duncan Alexander: In 2019 we answered over 50,000 requests from media, broadcast and pro team partners, in over 20 countries, helping them
Duncan Alexander
Stats Perform’s sports data editorial operation
uncover new stories and insights from sport. Perhaps surprisingly given the disruption to the sporting calendar this year we are tracking to far exceed that number in 2020. Even with this disruption, the passion, excitement and power of sport remains undiminished.
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The secret to our success is the largest database in world sport, which to our data insights team is more than a database: it’s an ever-evolving treasure map that keeps revealing new stories, new explanations and new angles to bring us all closer to sport. Playing amongst all that sports data is a literal dream come true for our guys and girls. Every time a client request comes in, there’s a fight to respond first because you get a real kick from seeing how happy clients are with the insights we supply, and how their customers interact with the content. All of this feeds our search for the perfect sports insight – one which turns on a
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the year Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. In footballing terms, our archives go back to the 1966 World Cup and we have every player pass, shot and goal from every match Euro tournament all the way back to 1980.
lightbulb for fans such that they themselves are as keen to share it as we were. That’s the great thing about sport: it has infinite stories to tell, and new understandings to be examined, whether through new metrics such as expected goals and playing styles, new forms of betting entertainment like the Opta Player Betting Feed, or helping rights holders (and former players) shed new light on classic matches like we did with re-runs of MLS games recently.
How has your historical archive developed since the merger to create Stats Perform? DA: Merging STATS and Perform last year (to create Stats Perform, Opta’s parent company) married a very detailed US sport database with very detailed football, cricket and rugby databases. Our historical archives now span all the way back to 1876, which for context is
How does the Stats Perform data editorial team help betting operators and affiliates? DA: Sportsbook and affiliate marketing teams want to engage sports audiences in similar ways to broadcasters and teams. They want to help fans enjoy sport more, be informed and more entertained and short insights are great for this. For example, we’ve recently started mining our database to find insights to help educate fans and bettors. The ethos we stick to when crafting insights for our sportsbook and affiliate customers is well summarised by a sports trader at a tier-one sportsbook:
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Data can also help us look into the future: at the end of the 2019/20 season our data science teams simulated the Premier League season 10,000 times to estimate the final season standings. Betfair’s Dan Fitch combined our predictions with the betting markets to see where the value lies.
Our brothers and sisters from the STATS side share our passion for providing enlightening narratives; they’ve been supporting some of the largest teams, broadcasters and commentators in the US for over 20 years, so they know what works, and we’ve already learnt a huge amount from each other. Between us we have data editorial staff across the globe, supporting sports teams, media and bookmakers in many languages, as well as competing to get the most engagement for their @OptaJoe / @OptaJavier / @OptaJoao etc accounts!
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“Bettors want to be helped to think; they don’t want to made to think, or told what to do” Sports trader, tier one sportsbook
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With the disruption to the sporting calendar earlier this year we were supplying more and more questions to broadcasters, sportsbooks and teams like Inter Milan: they’re a really simple and effective way to interact with and entertain social followers. This type of content and the social interaction it can drive remains valuable even when the sporting calendar is at its fullest.
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Another example of how our analysts work in the betting content space is the long-running datadriven series which we produce for Unibet. The series was commissioned with the sole objective of providing bettors and sport fans new perspectives on the leagues, players and competitions they are passionate about: something that helps Unibet authentically add value to their fandom. That’s where we see our ability to help. You can view the full series here.
How else does marketing teams?
Stats
Perform
help
DA: Aside from our core products like Watch and Bet live streaming and the Opta Player Betting feed, which enables betting on player shots, passes and tackles, we’ve recently launched a graphics creation tool to quickly generate images powered by our data that work really well to engage bettors on social media, CRM or inside betting apps.
The web-based Graphics platform powered by the richest historical and live sports data has generated considerable interest with our sportsbook partners. It works equally well to help operators supercharge their social marketing when the global sport machine is in full swing, as it does to provide a simple path into our extensive historical database, and bring it to life in a bespoke fashion with a few touches of a button. We’ve also recently deployed an automated betting-specific facts feed for football and US sports, covering key trends for key betting markets across thousands of games. This is also fully integrated into our Graphics tool, and lets marketers quickly generate bite-sized insight images before and during games.
• Live Streaming • Ultrafast Data • Live Player Data • Deep Player Data • Probabilities and Predictions • Bet Assists Every high-quality sportsbook chooses Stats Perform’s premium sports content to help them create more entertaining and trusted sports betting experiences for millions of global fans. ve sports streams to watch and bet upon, to the trusted sports data that enables bets before, during and after games from all corners of the globe, and all the insight, news and player information in between. We help make sports more entertaining and help drive value for rightsholders, sportsbooks and pricing providers.
But what if this is only the beginning? Deep within the world’s highest quality sports content engine l intelligence that are already starting to reframe, rethink and revolutionise the way we experience and understand sport and betting. Talk to us about your future today or learn more at statsperform.com
Stats Perform Betting | betting.team@statsperform.com
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Betcris exclaims in the face of a changing market, “We don’t restrict or ban winning players” It surfaced recently that some gambling platforms are implementing software controls that limit players’ ability to place substantial wagers on anything from online poker to sports bets.
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hey have developed algorithms that can easily identify those individuals who show an aptitude for gambling, and then decrease the amount that they can bet in order to allow those with weaker strengths to spend – and lose – more. At best, the practice is shady; at worst, it should be considered illegal. However, one company stands out among the rest and continues to support its customers, especially if they’re winning. Betcris, the leading retail and online gaming platform in
Latin America, still believes in letting gamblers decide their own fate. Betcris has achieved its results by treating customers fairly. The platform has a strict policy of only providing a mechanism through which gamblers can place their bets, while maintaining a hands-off approach to how the activity plays out. The CEO of Betcris parent company TV Global Enterprises, JD Duarte, explains, “Bookmakers are often quick to restrict
of several groups for marketing purposes. By segmenting the company’s marketing efforts, it can control costs and work to develop its message depending on the target audience. This helps to drive revenue up while keeping expenses down, and also allows the platform to not go overboard with its marketing presence.
The only interaction Betcris has in the client base is to segment customers in order to better fine-tune its marketing efforts. The platform’s customer segmentation provides a division of its customer base into several groups of individuals that share a similarity in different ways that are relevant to marketing such as wagering type preferences, wagering amounts and other miscellaneous betting habits. This technique of customer segmentation, which is similar to that used in many multinational corporations, is dependent on several key differentiators that divide customers into groups based on demographics, geography and economic status. Behavioral patterns are also included and play a crucial role in determining the company’s direction toward addressing the various segments.
This model is contradictory to what is seen with the majority of the gambling platforms found across the globe, which have taken a position of “revenue first,” and that have proven themselves to be willing to sacrifice legitimacy and transparency in the name of profits.
“Driving the business through customer intelligence is smart business,” adds Duarte. The segmentation originates from a robust analysis program that helped establish the company’s marketing solutions. By using a system called RFM (Recency – Frequency – Monetary Value), Betcris created a system that allows for customers to be segmented into one
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customers or close down winning accounts. Our platform uses machine learning technology to collect and mine data from our customer database to determine customer profiles. These profiles are then used to provide a personalized service to our customers, where winning players are rewarded, not restricted.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an important part of any business development in this day and age. Machine learning, a subset of AI that focuses on the creation of algorithms that give computers the ability to learn by themselves, is beneficial, among other things, for the creation of datasets and customer segmentation. Learning machines, because of their AI component, can take all sorts of data and compile and extract it to be used to improve operations in many businesses. The same goes for the gambling industry, as long as it is used appropriately. While Betcris uses algorithms to better market to its customers, that is the extent of its interaction, as the company knows that, in order to succeed and continue to be the leading gambling platform, it has to provide an aboveboard, transparent and confident solution.
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Join the adventure with Vibra Gaming’s The Phantom™ The company launches its second licensed game based on the legendary masked hero.
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ibra Gaming, the LatAm focused game and platform developer, is calling on players to join a great adventure through its newest licensed game, The Phantom. The game features all of the famous characters, including Diana, as well as his close friends Horse and Wolf, as players get into this jungle of excitement and big wins. The Phantom is a 5x3 reel, 25-payline slot that takes players to the edge with great comicstyle graphics and symbols including the ring, pistols and royals. The Phantom has three great features that will captivate players since they create great expectation and award some incredible prizes. The horse, Hero, is featured together with the Phantom and appears as a stacked wild feature across all reels. The Phantom’s trained wolf Devil also makes an appearance – acting as the Free Spins scatter character. Players must get
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(C) 2020 King Features Syndicate, Inc. TM Hearst Holdings, Inc.
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3 symbols, which trigger 5 free spins (while the usual howling can be heard), with reels 2, 3 and 4 merging to create a great 3x3 symbol, which significantly increases the winning chances. The feature can be retriggered with 3 additional Wolf symbols adding other 3 free spins. Skull Money Re-spins – Each symbol has a money prize. The player must get 6 or more symbols across the reels to trigger the bonus with 3 respins. Every time a symbol appears, 3 more respins are granted. The bonus ends when all respins have been used and the winnings are added up – or if all 15 positions are matched with Skulls, rewarding the player with the jackpot! The Phantom invites players to harness the guile and strength of the legendary masked hero. This medium-volatility game invokes all the nostalgia of Lee Falk’s classic American 1930s comic strip and blends it with stunning graphics and an edgy soundtrack to deliver a fun and thrilling slot game.
It has a medium volatility of 3/5 and a hit ratio of 34.98%, with a maximum win of 1100 x bet. As with all Vibra Gaming titles, it is available for landbased, desktop and all mobile devices.
Ramiro Atucha, CEO of Vibra Gaming, said: “I love this title. I think comics are a great cultural product and their stories and graphic styles don’t seem to age or lose their edge. I hope fans will appreciate the effort we’ve made to keep the original elements and integrate them into this exciting game.” “The features we’ve included, such as the Money Re-spins or the giant symbol during the free spins, are really up to date with our industry’s trends, so we believe all types of players will find the game appealing because it delivers a truly entertaining experience with great rewards.”
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As for the the stats and tech data, The Phantom has a 95% RTP, with a 5x3 layout and 25 fixed paylines.
Its view features for mobile include double-tap zoom and 2 portrait versions: classic & with paytable.
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GiG announces its new representative for LatAm and Europe: Xavier Besseau Xavier speaks spanish and portuguese fluently, and has international experience in Sportsbook and SaaS. LatAm is an emerging market with huge potential growth, that represents a priority for GiG. First of all, we want to thank Luc Lebleu for his great work in Latin America and Europe. We now proudly announce that his fellow countryman, Xavier Besseau, will lead actions in these continents. At Gaming Innovation Group, we provide cuttingedge technological solutions for casinos, sports betting sites or investment funds to optimize its landbased and online betting activities (for sports, casino and lottery).
THE BEST BUSINESS!
PLATFORM
FOR
YOUR
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Our robust iGaming platform is available for online and landbased operators, so they can bring and absolute gaming experience to their players. At GiG, we offer a fixed charge model where all the monthly technical costs associated with our iGaming platform are fixed instead of the traditional profit sharing model (which is based on a percentage of the operator’s profit); which allows the operator to grow without having to pay more. Our platform allows our partners to offer a competitive online casino and sportsbook for their players (or just the casino or the bookmaker) with a unique interface, adaptable to different devices, which is key in the user experience and to differentiate yourself from the competition. It´s licensed in Malta, UK, USA (New Jersey), Germany
Xavier Besseau
Senior Sales Executive Latam
(S-H), Sweden, Spain and Romania (Class II), as well as Latvian certification, GLI certification and also ISO certification. Our platform is completely agnostic, which means that we give our partners the ability to choose what works best for them; At GiG we don’t believe that one size fits all! Among the key benefits of our platform are: indepth player account management tools and player segmentation at a granular level thanks to our own rules engine (GiG Logic); content and games through the best game providers; Custom CRM, marketing and promotions for long-term loyalty; the main integrated payment methods in order to optimize each market; the ability to automate tasks and operational processes; Detailed gaming and financial transaction data.
REAL-TIME ANALYTICAL MANAGEMENT In addition, our state-of-the-art data platform offers operators fast and scalable self-service
that improves their business intelligence and data products, as well as reporting through the real-time management interface. All this gives access to the necessary details instantly, allowing operators to quickly identify players with addiction risk; which increases the sustainability of the operation.
Our real-time rule engine, Logic, is an algorithmbased system which goal is to minimize dayto-day operational tasks. It enables operators to independently design, build, and test rules, without the need for code or programming knowledge. Logic works based on a sequence of specific actions, allowing operators to create their own rules that best meet the needs of their business in a simple, verifiable and auditable environment.
RETAIN AND LOYAL YOUR PLAYERS Our sports betting solution provides a unique omni-channel betting experience tailored for both online and physical channels. We provide all the tools and technology you need to offer your users an unparalleled sports betting experience. Regardless of which stage of your product life cycle you enter, we design, create and manage a bookmaker together and for you. We partner with you to understand your business and create the best gaming experience for your brand.
PUT YOUR IGAMING OPERATION IN THE HANDS OF THE EXPERTS With our managed services, we provide you with a range of tailor-made packages meeting your individual needs for your iGaming business from before launch and throughout its life cycles. This
helps minimize the complexity of start-ups, such as responsible gaming legal frameworks and their best applications. Benefit from our years of experience and our international know-how, and let our team of experts manage your portfolio of products and services. Our gaming management platform operates under the most stricted standards, improves your operating margins and allows you to be free to focus on running your business.
PROTECT YOUR LICENSE Designed specifically to ensure that the operator is always on the cutting edge of marketing, our self-service technology scans thousands of websites to ensure that affiliates continue to comply with advertising regulations as well as the standards set by operators. The technology also provides detailed reports, which include links, references and images about its brands, keeping the operator’s affiliate department up to date with regard to the content distributed by its affiliates to the general public. If you’re looking to stay ahead of the game on responsible gambling, our regulatory compliance tools help you regain control over the compliance of your marketing activities.
REACH AND SECURE YOUR AUDIENCE Embracing the world of digital marketing is a must for the iGaming industry and our marketers who have extensive experience launching campaigns to increase your profits and help your iGaming brand stand out. Our media solution constantly works to capture your target market, allowing you to keep track and manage your player acquisition and retention marketing campaigns. Talk to one of our experts to take your complete Online Gaming solution to the next level.
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We have recently added Virtual Sports betting to our portfolio, allowing our operators to offer their players an opportunity to bet on their favorite sports in the same way as they would on live sports and thus keep them loyal. Our virtual portfolio includes horse racing, greyhound, trotting, velodrome, circuit and instant soccer, as well as horse racing and scheduled tennis matches.
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GiG data provides a secure and regulatory framework, responding to our partners’ critical data needs. It contains libraries of KPIs (key performance indicators) within the standard characteristics of all tools and incorporates artificial intelligence applications that work together to improve your data system without interruption.
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The expansion of digital payments in Africa With a population that rounds 1.2 billion people - equivalent to 16.72% of the total world population - and a median age of 19.7 years, Africa is in the sights of international companies that want to develop their operations in this untapped region.
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here are significant differences among the African countries and each one has individual needs, but they are all going through a shift from traditional payments towards cashless. This drift has been accelerated by the pandemic all over the world and Africa is no exception. Government authorities in many of these countries are taking actions to encourage contactless payments. The need for digital ways of paying has put on the table the requirement for more options that meet end user demands for easy, secure and reliable payment solutions. Payment providers should adapt quickly to the new reality, adjusting their proposals while still complying with the security and compliance procedures required by the industry. Even though many African markets have adopted mobile payments through telecommunication
service providers, none of them is continent-wide. This lies in the cultural and technological diversity the continent shows and in the strong tendency African consumers have to use national brands. In most of these countries, the levels of financial inclusion are low which leaves an open door to reliable payment solutions that fill the gap. It is also important for operators to keep pace with the new payment options customers want to use. Digital payments require technological infrastructure as well as people adapting to cashless culture. But as a large part of its population is young and they demand for such payments, sooner or later they will have to meet their requirements by offering a broader range of experiences. African consumers have shifted away from a cash economy to rely on mobile devices and we believe this is the main gateway to digital payments. The future of payments in the continent is in taking advantage of new technologies, where e-wallets and real time payments look really promising.
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Digital wallets provide users with a secure and rapid tool, enabling them to access contactless payments easily. This payment option is increasingly being adopted by users as it provides them with the possibility to have their balance in just one place, avoiding the inconveniences of multiple accounts and payment options. Moreover, e-wallets are considered a much safer method compared to credit and debit cards. According to some investigations a number of factors which are related to consumer perception about privacy, security and benefits have an important incidence when deciding whether to use this solution.
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Mikael Lijtenstein CEO
When developing One Touch, we specially asked our team to consider user experience throughout the whole process. Thinking like the customer is a key factor to understand and engage clients. Every single feature of the product was thought from this point of view. Also, the simplicity of less is more
is a value for customers who want to deposit or withdraw online in international sites. We try to make the experience frictionless, easy, simple and fast and as natural as possible. The possibility of making transactions online without leaving the merchant site provides consumers with a feeling of security which is paramount when dealing with money. User experience is a key factor when promoting contactless payments as it has to be intuitive and as natural as possible for the consumer. We all have some responsibility in easing this transformation process and making it accessible to people. This is why we devote many resources to developing a good UX. As payment providers we have to adapt to the needs and reality of the population segment we want to reach. Africa is a fast-growing source of opportunities for international operators that are attracted by the scale of the young population. We consider there will be an important adaptation to new technologies which will carry out new ways of digital payments.
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Recently we have launched One Touch, a digital wallet that contemplates these factors and offers a vary of benefits as the possibility to identify users from a single code, allowing greater control over transactions and minimizing risk, and to receive deposits with a simple “touch�, with automatic approval for recurring users which will generate a smoothest interaction between the merchant and its customers. Regarding security we perform KYC verification and identification control, as well as provide merchants with a close loop that guarantees that the person who deposits is the same that makes a withdrawal. The integration process is simple, it is performed through an auto enrolment channel, with little to none IT intervention required on the merchant side. Operators will also have access to analytics and reports, as well as fraud alerts that meet the levels of security and compliance that the industry requires.
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¡Step up your game! Worldmatch is present in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Operators working on regulated markets or with permission of their governments to operate through an International license for Online Casinos could have Worldmatch’s content.
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orldmatch Italian Online Casino Games producer continue creating amazing games designed to get through all the markets and its barriers, -Independently from the different cultures and costumes of the places where we work, we think and imagine the world as a unity that challenges us to show up, travel, investigate and surprise with colorful graphics and unique engines all those players and operators who prefer us. Online gaming lets us explore our creativity astonishing the highest expectations in terms of game experience.Worldmatch is present in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Operators working on regulated markets or with permission of their governments to operate through an International license for Online Casinos could have Worldmatch’s content.
In Worldmatch we believe in engagement and our initiative is to approach the customers’ preferences and demark prior lineaments into the supply evolution of Online Gaming. We believe the Online gaming industry could also create several positive impacts in society and that implementing good practices and honest work dignified could help us to build a true and balanced culture of gaming across communities. Worldmatch will keep working on expanding its value offer, getting involved with new jurisdictions, and starting new and strong relationships with the current actors pushing such evolution internationally. Worldmatch launches a wide game portfolio fed periodically during a year as its meant to
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be as company. The recognized performance Worldmatch has among the Casino Industry is brilliant, being the Re/Producer of the best titles available on landBased casinos traditionally. We might mention as well we have as main partner Octavian Gaming, leader of the land-based Italian market.
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We would like to introduce you to some of our most recent titles for the Online Gaming industry: Hawild Island, Candy Bar, Love reaction, and “El sueño’’ four quite different experiences that will reaffirm our legacy across gaming. “El Sueño” meets the culture and the customs of Mexicans and other ancestral cultures venerating life and death as a unique and unified human life experience. Several cultures even Africans do believe there is more in our present independently of the circumstances or the statements we are passing by. Languages have divided us somehow and colonization is the main reason why this happened, but we are looking forward to connecting through those beliefs which are truly universal. Hawild Island, recognize the intercultural exchange that represents us collectively. This game proposes three special features to guarantee a great experience to the player offering 243 bet ways to win any time. Candy Bar is a revolutionary game in the gaming industry, we decide to transform this little gem taking its general characteristics as an innovative element to bring out to the online gaming experience. Candy Bar provides the players special features easy and fun to try wherever and whenever even while placing their bets on sports. It reunites the engine of roulette and the exciting performance of a slot machine.
Estefanía Venegas
Regional Manager Latam
Love Reaction is full of life, colors and fantasy. It is a 5 x 3 game, offering 15 bet ways and four unique features that fully dynamized the player experience. Perfect to relax and entertain with its music, its several ways to win while being transported inside its bonus game. All our games run great independently of the type of device, guaranteeing the experience of either mobile, tablet, or laptop. We have the power to transform and create good impressions and remind the world this is not only about making money, we care about making entertaining games.
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Worldmatch invites those operators working in Africa to learn, try, and evaluate a partnership with us. We have experienced regulations across the industry: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Colombia, and the UK. Our story is remarked for being a company believing and navigating the Online Gaming industry since 2000, offering optimal solutions to manage and revolutionize the Online Casino Experience.
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JazzGS, White Label experts Our goal is to keep the quality of our product updated, with the best technologies, types of plays and what the market demands.
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ith over 30 years in the gaming industry, at Jazz Gaming Solutions we know that partner relationships is key. Our “White Label” business model seeks to create a long-term relationship where everyone assumes their responsibilities, obtaining the following result: Both parties will receive percentual benefits from the business. This allows us to have a premium product, where our Set Up Fee is one of the most accessible on the market. Our goal is to keep the quality of our product updated, with the best technologies, types of plays and what the market demands. In the last 6 months, we´ve integrated more than 1500 Online Casino games, Esports and Virtual Games.
WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE BUSINESS WITH US? You should work with us because we make the process easy. We take care of our clients quickly and directly. We skip delays and all those slow processes that kick business away. We are agile and work really close to our clients. We seek for updates and adapt to our client´s needs. Also offer payment methods integrations and custom developments. We´re experts in risk management and we´re constantly investing on tools that let our “Line Managers” optimize the money that´s being played during the different events, protecting the business. We adapt to the needs and requirements of our partners. We like to accept challenges, either to participate as suppliers, active partners at risk, investment and operation. For us, each business is different and important at the same time. We commit to integrate new products and operators regularly; also to update our services and processes. Our partners know that we´re always looking for the best, so that our longterm relationship is benefitial for both parties.
Eddye Guevara CEO Jazz Gaming Solutions
OPPORTUNITY
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This world is becoming more and more digital and demands a new online service. At JazzGS, we facilitate this process and take your business to the digital platform that adapts best for you. Discover more about JazzGS products at www.jazzgs.com. More than 60 B2B partners already trust on us.
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