Super Group has revealed a major transformation within African iGaming as the transition of players from sportsbook to casino shifts the focus of operators in the region.
Complemented by a major rise in mobile engagement, slots titles are rising as a major trend for players in Africa, ensuring that an avenue to cross-sell is far more vast than in other global markets.
This approach for Super Group has paid off in Botswana, a market in which it showed significant faith from the outset of its launch – securing the majority of market share in the country.
The operator lauded its ability to continue growth and build on the initial momentum gained in the market, which emerges as one of the most promising markets on the continent.
According to recent reports by the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship in Botswana, the gaming and gambling industry is set to produce growth beyond P1bn (€78m).
The evolution of the market comes as African markets tighten their framework and implement tougher tax regimes, further adding fuel to the fire that is burning towards prosperity for the market in Botswana.
Channelisation has, however, played a central role in stakeholders looking to ensure that the regulated market could thrive.
Previous data released in May revealed that during 2024, approximately 40% of the country’s gamblers participated in the licensed market, which was something that the government sought to shift significantly, much to the benefit of player safety and the regulated space.
It’s data that prompted the country to expand its license approval process, with the issuing of a myriad of new licenses, which included the embracing of Betway as a bookmaker.
At the time, Betway Botswana Country Manager Mitchelle France-Mabiletsa laid out a strong focus on Botswana that has evidently proven fruitful.
She commented: “We are not stopping there. In the months ahead, we will continue to build our presence, expand the team and play a more meaningful role in the communities.”
Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe, CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority (BGA), also highlighted the key role that Betway should play in shaping the market.
“Our licensing regime is grounded in integrity and competitive transparency. We do not license loosely. We license for national value,” Kesitilwe said.
“Let this industry grow, but grow with accountability. Let it create jobs but protect players. Let it generate revenue but uphold fairness. To all stakeholders, let us lead this industry with integrity,” the CEO concluded.
Super Group’s latest results are a strong indication that Africa is in the midst of significant evolution, as an increasing number of players shift from sportsbook to casino.
This growth was embodied by the company’s results in Ghana, where, despite the African Cup of Nations, sports betting revenue dipped by 31% whilst online casino revenue increased by 41%.
Meanwhile, in Botswana, the group detailed that levels far outperformed expectations, complementing the overall growth of Africa by 27%.
The trend was also affirmed by South African trends, as a growing focus on online casino and gamification fuelled the launch of the Super Coin and effective online strategies.
Sportsbook revenue dipped by more than 30% for the operator in South Africa – yet record casino revenue still fuelled growth overall for the firm in the market.
The operator has underpinned a product and innovation-focused approach to South African engagement with the Zar Supercoin, being something that is completely new in the region.
As player trends are clearly shifting in South Africa, the country is also on the cusp of potentially big alterations to its taxation framework.
South Africa’s National Treasury has extended a consultation on the implementation of a nationwide iGaming tax.
In an attempt to update South Africa’s gambling market, which is largely governed by the 2004 National Gambling Act, the National Treasury is proposing a 20% tax rate on gross gambling revenue from online activity.
Coupled with provincial tax rates, which vary between 6% and 9%, depending on the location and vertical, the country’s effective tax rate will sit between 26% and 29% if successfully implemented.
Though projected to raise over R10bn (£456.1m) per year for government coffers, the Ministry of Finance has emphasised that the main aim of the tax is to ensure that “external costs associated with gambling are internalised by those that provide and participate in gambling”, especially given the rise of online gambling.
The proposal stated: “Advances in technology have made online gambling more accessible, changing how people gamble and increasing the variety of gambling products available, which gamblers can now access from anywhere, at any time. It transcends the provincial boundaries and cannot be realistically and fully administered at a provincial level.
“From a public policy perspective, there should be no problem with recreational gamblers as they do not place any external costs on society. However, to the extent that problem and pathological gambling impose a cost on society (externalities), it is in the public interest that such behaviour be regulated or reduced.”
