The African iGaming Alliance (AiA) has launched the inaugural Africa Safer Gambling Week, an initiative spearheaded by its CEO, Peter Kesitilwe, aimed at fostering collaboration across Africa's licensed gaming sector. This week-long event has convened regulators, operators, and industry associations to discuss critical topics related to safer gambling practices.
Kesitilwe emphasized that the objective of this initiative is to transform discussions about safer gambling into actionable steps. "The initiative demonstrates that cooperation does not have to remain at the level of conference and policy discussion. It has to translate into practical action, educating players, engaging communities, protecting young people and highlighting the dangers of illegal and unlicensed gambling," he stated.
The Africa Safer Gambling Week is intended to be an annual event, though Kesitilwe underscored the importance of considering player protection as an ongoing daily responsibility. "We want Africa Safer Gambling Week to create a platform for ongoing cooperation," he added. "The campaign may run for a week, but responsible gambling must be practiced throughout the year."
Each day of the week's activities focused on various player protection issues, including responsible gambling and the prevention of underage gambling. Kesitilwe acknowledged the continent's diversity, noting the different regulatory frameworks and social contexts that exist within it. The aim is not to enforce a one-size-fits-all regulatory model but rather to encourage collaboration that accommodates local circumstances and messaging. He explained, "We respect those differences. At the same time, many of these risks cross borders. We do not need identical laws in every country, but we do need greater cooperation."
With this campaign, the AiA has made strides in raising awareness, achieving over a million online impressions, indicating a significant interest in safer gambling efforts across Africa.
Underage gambling has emerged as a critical concern, particularly with the increasing penetration of mobile technology in the region. Kesitilwe expressed alarm over the prevalence of gambling advertisements in sports content, stating, "At a break or at half time you see 10 to 20 [gambling] adverts. It’s come to a point that oftentimes I even hear my kids singing [gambling adverts]. They’ll just keep asking, ‘But Daddy, what is this? What does this mean?’" He reiterated that gambling should be viewed as an adult activity and called for operators to ensure effective age verification processes, stressing that marketing should not appeal to children.
Another key focus during Africa Safer Gambling Week has been on the illegal gambling market. Kesitilwe pointed out that unregulated offshore operators pose significant risks to player protection. "Oftentimes when you see governments increasing taxes, banning iGaming, it’s mainly because of illegal operators because they don't comply," he claimed. He highlighted that illegal operators often lack essential practices such as age verification and responsible gambling tools, undermining the efforts of licensed businesses that adhere to compliance standards. According to a study by Gaming Compliance International, approximately 77% of Africa's gambling market is offshore.
Looking ahead, the AiA intends for the impact of Africa Safer Gambling Week to be measured by improvements in the regulation of the gambling market by the next event. Kesitilwe cautioned that governments may frequently misjudge the underlying causes of problem gambling, leading to regulations that adversely affect licensed operators while failing to curb illegal activity.
The longer-term vision for the AiA during these campaigns extends beyond simply reducing the offshore gambling market. Kesitilwe expressed the desire to gain a better understanding of problem gambling across the continent to effectively engage with policymakers. "We also intend to do Africa-wide studies around the prevalence of problem gambling in different markets, obviously working with regulators and associations," he shared.
Furthermore, the AiA aims to broaden participation in future events, establishing Africa Safer Gambling Week as a lasting presence on the African gambling calendar. "Success should not be measured only by whether all countries participate in one year. It should also be measured by whether we have created a credible foundation that more can join," he concluded.
