Information from Antonio Matias, founder of http://braziliancasinoonline.com, Brazil’s leading digital gaming news portal. Antonio is well versed and experienced in the gaming industry in Brazil.
While retail gambling continues to dominate Africa, online gambling is on the rise. Statista, a research company, reported that online gambling and betting was valued at $12 billion in 2005 and $15.2 billion in 2006, rising to $29.3 billion in 2010. In 2017, they amounted to $45.8 billion and are expected to grow to $94.4 billion globally by 2024.
South Africa controls 48% of the gambling market in Africa, followed by Nigeria and Kenya respectively. Africa may not be an easy place to invest, given the political instability that has prevailed in the region in the past, economic instability, weak infrastructure and endemic corruption. However, there have been significant improvements in political and economic stability, which has attracted large foreign investment.
“What does it take to start an online gambling business in Africa” is a question I get all the time from foreign investors looking to get offshore investment in Africa. Aspiring entrepreneurs always want to know what it takes, because the wrong step can lead to the loss of a significant amount of investment. Gambling in Africa is a treasure, but it’s hard to know where and what if you don’t have a good consultant who knows the area. I am going to walk you through this process step by step and this advice can be used in any gambling market in Africa. These factors will guide you and serve as your guide to success.
1. Good knowledge of the chosen market
This is a very important point before starting such an enterprise. I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again African gambling market completely different from the European and other world markets. A proper understanding of market dynamics in different regions of Africa is required. Your understanding of the market will tell you how to invest, what to invest in, and how to reach your market target.
2. Choose a Reliable iGaming Software Provider
Coming to Africa with software that worked in other gambling markets is a recipe for failure. When choosing software for their activities in Africa, whether it be white label or individual, it should be created specifically for the African region. Many gambling software providers in Africa know the region well, however, having a unique set of specifications is key. Criteria to consider when choosing software should include the following: excellent game management system, software should have flexible multi-currency support, efficient and high-quality customer support, software should have user-friendly payment modules, unlimited access to events, betting markets , content and custom interface. will alsoit’s nice if your site is bilingual. This will give you an advantage because there are two main languages in Africa, French and English, but there are other languages that are widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Swahili and Hausa. The Bantu language, also known as Swahili, is spoken by about 150 million Africans in Central and South Africa, including Mozambique. The language is also widely spoken in East African countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It would also be a good idea to find a service provider that will provide a turnkey white label solution. It simply allows you to focus on your target market and strategies. Creation of your software with the provision of the above mentioned functions, For example, blackjack software is very popular now, and for this reason I can advise you to follow this link for a detailed review of blackjack online.
Obtaining a License
Obtaining an online license is essential for the smooth operation of your business in your chosen jurisdiction. In Africa, retail is still the leader, but online gambling is on the rise. Some services are now available online and obtaining a license is important for business owners to demonstrate the legitimacy of their company and their services. Obtaining a license indicates that your business operates in accordance with the rules and is legal. For example, in Nigeria, a federal or state license allows you to work on the Internet.
However, there have been demands for reforms because the federal license will only allow you to operate online, because the states that legalize gambling in Nigeria will not allow you to run a retail business. The cost of obtaining a license differs from country to country, and obtaining a license can take from several months to a year. Apply for a license with a legitimate institution or regulatory body. Obtaining a license is one thing, but online regulation is another. There are few countries in Africa with a well-regulated online market, so it would be good and safe to know where online gambling is properly regulated, partially or not regulated at all. Applying for a gambling license can take time because it requires a lot of effort and paperwork. partially or not regulated at all. Applying for a gambling license can take time because it requires a lot of effort and paperwork. partially or not regulated at all. Applying for a gambling license can take time because it requires a lot of effort and paperwork.
Choose a good payment platform
A flexible and reliable payment platform is essential for the success of an online gambling business. Trust breeds confidence. Gaining the trust of players in Africa is key because many gambling brands do not pay players and this has led to a loss of trust and confidence. In any business, there is nothing better than a fast and reliable payment system. There are many foreign and local payment systems in Africa, but a good payment platform must meet some basic requirements. Topping the list is ensuring a seamless payment transaction, multi-currency support, maximum security, fraud detection, e-merchant integration and full service. To ensure customer loyalty and help improve the gaming experience, it is recommended to enable multiple payment options. For example, South African online casino players mostly use their credit cards to fund their casino accounts. Neteller wallets, Skrill and prepaid cards like EcoCard are also popular among casino players; therefore, it is recommended that you include all of these options in your payment offers. Depending on where your business operates, the local currency should be considered first and foremost because players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account.
Cryptocurrencies are on the rise in Africa and it would be nice to allow players to play with bitcoin. Therefore, to attract a wider audience, it does not hurt to add bitcoin as an alternative payment method. Skrill and prepaid cards like EcoCard are also popular among casino players; therefore, it is recommended that you include all of these options in your payment offers. Depending on where your business operates, the local currency should be considered first and foremost because players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account. Cryptocurrencies are on the rise in Africa and it would be nice to allow players to play with bitcoin. Therefore, to attract a wider audience, it does not hurt to add bitcoin as an alternative payment method. Skrill and prepaid cards like EcoCard are also popular among casino players; therefore, it is recommended that you include all of these options in your payment offers. Depending on where your business operates, the local currency should be considered first and foremost because players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account. Cryptocurrencies are on the rise in Africa and it would be nice to allow players to play with bitcoin. Therefore, to attract a wider audience, it does not hurt to add bitcoin as an alternative payment method. because players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account. Cryptocurrencies are on the rise in Africa and it would be nice to allow players to play with bitcoin. Therefore, to attract a wider audience, it does not hurt to add bitcoin as an alternative payment method. because players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account. Cryptocurrencies are on the rise in Africa and it would be nice to allow players to play with bitcoin. Therefore, to attract a wider audience, it does not hurt to add bitcoin as an alternative payment method.
Create a website for your online gambling business
Your website serves as an interface for your customers and members of the public. Therefore, a website must be captivating, attractive, noticeable, also contain a lot of information and, most importantly, be easy to navigate and catchy. The site should not be heavy, and that it can be easily accessed through a smartphone. Remember not to overload your site with unnecessary concepts and designs, in fact use a simple and effective design. Engaging with customers is very important and this can be done effectively through social media platforms. When running promotions, it’s important to make them interactive, encouraging customer participation to keep your user’s interest. Undoubtedly, it has been proven that the interaction between you and your customers can help you understand their desires. Therefore, it is better to reach out to them through social media platforms and customer support channels. By now, you should have decided on a service provider and whether to offer popular casino games such as roulette, slots, baccarat, blackjack, bingo, or poker. Friendly interface such as live video feeds bring the casino feel to players’ homes. Research has also shown that live betting is a thing of the past and should include additional features such as player stats and real-time chats. Your iGaming provider is the lifeblood of your business; so it is advisable to choose one, but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface. By now, you should have decided on a service provider and whether to offer popular casino games such as roulette, slots, baccarat, blackjack, bingo, or poker. Friendly interface such as live video feeds bring the casino feel to players’ homes. Research has also shown that live betting is a thing of the past and should include additional features such as player stats and real-time chats.
Your iGaming provider is the lifeblood of your business; so it is advisable to choose one, but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface. By now, you should have decided on a service provider and whether to offer popular casino games such as roulette, slots, baccarat, blackjack, bingo, or poker. Friendly interface such as live video feeds bring the casino feel to players’ homes. Research has also shown that live betting is a thing of the past and should include additional features such as player stats and real-time chats. Your iGaming provider is the lifeblood of your business; so it is advisable to choose one, but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface.
Friendly interface such as live video feeds bring the casino feel to players’ homes. Research has also shown that live betting is a thing of the past and should include additional features such as player stats and real-time chats. Your iGaming provider is the lifeblood of your business; so it is advisable to choose one, but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface. Friendly interface such as live video feeds bring the casino feel to players’ homes. Research has also shown that live betting is a thing of the past and should include additional features such as player stats and real-time chats. Your iGaming provider is the lifeblood of your business; so it is advisable to choose one, but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface. but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface. but carefully. In general, a reliable software service provider can help integrate the required content into a user-friendly website interface.
Well detailed marketing plan
Solving other problems correctly, rather than marketing your product, is a failure from the very beginning. This is probably one of the most important areas when launching a gambling brand or any other product for that matter. You will need to focus more on marketing your website when everything else is taken care of. To do this effectively, the marketing team must conduct a detailed and extensive study of your competitors in other countries to know what they are doing right and what is not. This is mandatory so that you know what mistakes to avoid. For example, dealing with limited offers will cause your customers to lose interest, and this may force them to choose other companies that offer better services. Your marketing strategy should prioritize the needs and happiness of your customers, to keep them. When it comes to player retention, any serious operator needs to find a way to improve retention rates. Products such asFrequent Player Points (FFP), promotions for seasonal events, notifications, VIP loyalty programs and betting assistance for new players are some of the retention marketing tools that can be used. Your organization should also have a well-packaged 360 marketing communications plan that will address your online advertising, public relations, sponsorships, and other forms of communications platforms and strategies.
Of course, starting an online gambling business can be a hectic, time-consuming and difficult process. Investors should consider offerings of significant development opportunities market in the country, the legal situation and preferences of the players.