Yggdrasil Gaming has expanded its reach in South Africa through new partnerships with SportyBet and Playco.za.
Both brands will now have access to over 100 titles from the developer, including games such as MexoMax, Bob Marlin Goes Deep and Vikings Go to Olympus.
By expanding in South Africa, Yggdrasil is seeking to harness the strength of the country’s iGaming sector. The firm highlighted data from the National Gaming Board, which found the market generated €75.5bn in turnover during the 2024/25 financial year.
Giovanni Fodera, Regional Manager at Yggdrasil, said: “South Africa is a strategically important market for Yggdrasil, and going live with established brands such as SportyBet and Playco.za is a significant achievement for the company.
“These partnerships enhance our regional presence, extend the reach of our content and reflect the strong momentum we are building across Africa.”
Yggdrasil debuted in South Africa in 2021 through a partnership with Intelligent Gaming Limited (IGL), giving the developer access to IGL’s list of operator partners.
Meanwhile, further collaborations with aggregators such as Vyking have given Yggdrasil further access to operators across Africa.
South Africa continues tax debate
Given the success of online betting and gaming in South Africa, the country’s National Treasury has proposed a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue from online activity, which will sit alongside provincial tax rates levied on all gambling activity.
Provincial rates vary between 6% and 9%, meaning the country’s effective tax rate will sit between 26% and 29% if successfully implemented.
If implemented, the tax is projected to raise R10bn (£456.1m) per year, however, the Ministry of Finance emphasised that the main aim of the tax is to cover the cost of the potential social harm caused by the rise in popularity of online gaming.
A public consultation for the change closed on 27 February, and stakeholders are now awaiting the decision of South Africa’s lawmakers regarding the implementation of the new tax.
