The countdown has commenced for the 11th annual Sports Betting West Africa+ (SBWA+) Summit and the co-located 2nd annual Gaming Event Francophone Africa (GEFA) 2026, which are set to take place in just seven days. Scheduled for October 14 to 16, 2026, at the King Fahd Palace Hotel in Dakar, Senegal, this important three-day gathering aims to bring together key figures from the gaming, fintech, and regulatory sectors across West and Francophone Africa.
In the vibrant capital of Senegal, attendees will include C-suite operators, executives from state lotteries, financial regulators, legal experts, and technology leaders. The summit serves as a vital platform for negotiating multi-jurisdictional licensing, optimizing low-bandwidth games, facilitating mobile money integration, and exploring opportunities for local market growth.
**Event Highlights:**
– **Day 1 – Wednesday, October 14, 2026:** The summit kicks off with a networking reception designed for international delegates, regulators, and industry pioneers, offering refreshments and networking opportunities. The day concludes with the SBWA+ Eventus Awards 2026, celebrating excellence, technological innovation, and regulatory compliance.
– **Day 2 – Thursday, October 15, 2026:**
– **SBWA+ Stream Topics:**
– Taxing the Game: Balancing Government Revenue and Industry Growth
– Trust by Design: Responsible Gaming and Transparent Operations
– Protecting the Digital Player: Data Security and Platform Integrity
– Ethical Promotion: Marketing and Affiliate Strategies in Regulated Markets
– **GEFA Stream Topics:**
– Senegal: Africa’s Gaming Capital: Building a Strategic Hub for Innovation, Regulation & Investment
– Francophone Frontier for Operators: Unlocking Growth in French-Speaking Africa
– The Cashless Playbook: Optimizing Mobile Money, Instant Payouts, and Payment Security in Francophone Africa
– Unlocking Francophone Africa: Payments, Localisation and the Future of iGaming Growth
– **Day 3 – Friday, October 16, 2026:**
– Marketing Intelligence: How AI Is Transforming Player Engagement
– The Social Bet: Harnessing Social Media for Player Growth
– Affiliate Economies: Building High-Performance Partnerships
– Game Changers: The Convergence of Esports, Sports Betting, and the Next Generation of Players
– The Next Five Years: Strategic Outlook from Africa’s Betting Leaders
**Speaker Lineup:**
The 2026 edition will feature an esteemed group of speakers from across the continent, including:
– **Adedoyin Oriadetu**, Head of Tax Compliance, WYZE
– **Ariel Amichia**, Head of Planning, Loterie Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire
– **Bonny Omara**, General Secretary, Uganda Esports and Gaming Federation
– **Edward Oluigbo**, Founder, CEO, Predict International Limited
– **Geoffrey Muindi**, Managing Director, Gaming NewsByte
– **Moustapha Camara**, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Senegal National Lottery
Numerous other notable figures will contribute their insights to the discussions.
**SBWA+ Eventus Awards:**
The shortlist for the SBWA+ Eventus Awards will be released on October 7, 2026, after nominations closed on October 2, 2026. Award categories include Supplier of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and several others recognizing leadership in various segments of the industry.
A special focus will be given to women in gaming through categories such as the Innovation Queen of West Africa and Rising Star in Leadership.
With only one week remaining, the organizers encourage registration for delegate passes, VIP upgrades, and exhibition spaces, all of which are filling up quickly. Licensed operators and affiliates may apply for complimentary passes, while others can choose standard and VIP delegate options. Custom exhibitions and branding opportunities remain available for sponsors and exhibitors to showcase their offerings to senior decision-makers and regulators.
