888 wants to continue making “significant” strides on the African continent, after its 888AFRICA subsidiary detailed the purchase by BetLion of BeLion in order to accelerate their “huge ambitions”.
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. The online casino operator and sports betting provider is licensed in Kenya as well as Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is a new hub for 888AFRICA. It builds on an existing base at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
With the addition of the new product, 888 expects to increase its scale and attract a significant number of customers. BetLion has more than 3 million registered users.
Robert Chirchir said that BetLion’s MD, Robert Chirchir stated: “888AFRICA has huge ambitions for the continent. We are delighted to support its growth through our leading front-end platform and software, as well as existing licences in the region.
“We look forward working more closely with the Team and continuing to delight our customers with our joint offering.”
888AFRICA is a joint-venture owned by 888 and operates the 888bet brands in the region. It was founded in March of 2022, and seven months later, it went live in Kenya, Tanzania Mozambique, and Zambia.
The entity, led by Christopher Coyne (ex-CEO of Goat Interactive, and former CMO of The Stars Group), is looking to “capitalise and maximise growth opportunities”.
Coyne said, “This acquisition was a crucial step in our quest to provide truly unique gaming and betting experiences for players throughout Africa.”
The talent at BetLion and the technology they offer are perfectly suited to both our growth model and our ambitions. They will also help us to strengthen our product as we strive to achieve market leadership in Africa.
We are also looking forward to working with new colleagues and to introducing new clients to our local brands.”
Widerstrom has been named Chief Executive Officer for 888. The appointment will take effect on October 16, 2023. Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn is returning to his role as Non-Executive Chairman.
It was announced that Itai Pzner would “immediately leave office” both as CEO and Director.
