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Targeting the African egaming market
> ANLI KOTZÉ > GENERAL MANAGER, BETTECH GAMING
variables and how users interact with each page. This in turn enhances our customers’ ability to reach all of their target audiences. We don’t believe there’s a risk of doing too much too soon but rather that the secret will lie in being ?exible to provide services as the market needs them. Not only are works in Europe or Asia might not work so well in Africa. But that’s where the difference will come in. The service providers and operators who truly understand the African market and are open to doing things differently will have a good chance of making a success on the continent. Most of our conversations with existing operators are more along the lines of the channels that players will be experiencing an operator’s product – web, mobile, cash shops and self service terminals. The gambling industry here is very much still land driven and operators are realising that adding these other channels to their offering needs to be at the centre of their focus. Covering every vertical will be the next step. In South Africa, those experiencing initial success are operators that are bene?tting from a longstanding cash betting retail store presence, but as the market grows there are increasing opportunities for other brands to get involved and prosper.
“While some social-only developers might be attracted by the prospect of plugging in in a real money aspect to their game, the likelihood is Facebook would not allow it. It’s not as easy as getting a licence and starting off. There’s an awful lot of back-office compliance they want to enforce as well”
Mike Webb, founder of social sports start-up Sportzrush on the issues with Facebook RMG p26
The African market differs markedly to Europe and presents its own unique set of challenges. Foremost among them is the fact much of the continent still operates as a cash economy. The internet is also mostly accessed via mobile handsets in Africa, due to the lack of robust telecoms and personal computer infrastructure. Many people are on prepaid mobile too, making internet access costly. This means there has been a huge push to offer responsive and very simple mobile interfaces. Each user will have their own circumstances in terms of internet connection, as well as individual screen sizes and other capabilities and functions. It is essential to consider all these
“The operators who understand the market are open to doing things differently”
Anli Kotzé
we aware of the types of issues particular to Africa, we are conscious that there are many stages of development. Operators need help to appreciate and accommodate these idiosyncrasies and must have an open mind to approach the ?&?WBF?ffW&V?F?F??F?W?F????F?W"FWfV??VB?&?WG2??N( ?2?&BF???v??Rv?@???4$T??R?E$U0?&WF6?2WfW&W7B6??VbW?V7WF?fR?G&W2????VB&WF6?2WfW&W7B??#??B6W'fVB26??Vbf???6???ff?6W"?BFWWG?4T??&Vf?&R&V6???r6??VbW?V7WF?fR??FV6V?&W"?7B?V"??W"???F?V?Bf????vVBF?R&W6?v?F????b?v?6???'F?2?v??FW67&?&VB?W"2( ?F?R&W7B?76?&?RF?&V7F?"vV?W&?( ?F?F?R?fW"?&Vf?&R??????r&WF6?2WfW&W7B??G&W2?V?B6V???"f???6????vV?V?B?6?F???2B6WfW&?6????W2?WG6?FRF?RVv??r??GW7G'???$2uT?t??&WF6?2WfW&W7B??v??rF?&V7F?"?g&?6RwV?v??B6W'fVB2&WF6?26??Vb?&?WF??r?ff?6W"6??6RF?R'&?N( ?2?V?6???#RV?F???'F?2&???FVB???2'B?bv?FR?&?v??r&W7G'V7GW&R?b&WF6?2WfW&W7B??#F?&V6??R??v??rF?&V7F?"?bF?Rw&?W( ?2g&V?6??7v?72?B&V?v???W&F???2?&Vf?&R??????r&WF6?2?R?6?v?&?VB2g&?6R??vW"f?"?$&?????W"???r?v?VB'?V??&WB?f?"F?&VR?V'2??4?T?TDT?$U ?&WB?B???R6??4T?????fV?&W"#"?VFV?&W"&V6?R6??4T??b&WF6?2WfW&W7N( ?2&WB?B???R'&?B?&W?6??r6?f?V?FW"??6?V?F?6???vW"??R????VB&WB?B???R??fV''V'?#?2?VB?bf???6R?B66?V?F??rf????v??rF?R?W&F?.( ?27V?6?F???'?&WF6?2WfW&W7B??f??r&Wf??W6?7V?B?V'2B??rW7G&??t%$T?5DUdT??&WF6?2WfW&W7Bv??rF?&V7F?"f????v??r??R?V"7V??26???W&6????vW"BFG??vW"?7FWfV?????VB&WF6?2WfW&W7B2?VB?b66????Bv?W2?&Vf?&R&V6???rv??rF?&V7F?"??FV6V?&W"#???F??2&??R?R?fW'6rF?R?w&F????bF?RWfW&W7Bv??r??W"?B66???'&?G2?7V?&VB??&??#?F?&WF6?2WfW&W7N( ?2w&?W?Ff?&???B?2&W7??6?&?Rf?"&?GV7B??vV?V?B7&?72??'&?G2?wwr?Vw&?v???R?6??????