iGB Affiliate 43 Feb/March 2014 | Page 73

FEATURE online space in many parts. While a lot of punters are moving online, they will be wary of fraudsters who are out to take their hard earned money, so they would area for future investment. The increased penetration of mobile offers a few challenges but the rewards will be greater should you be successful. The bottom line is that the hunger for sportsbetting and online casino is growing day by day, the punters want access to it, and the potential revenue is huge. “Africa has incredible potential as an iGaming market. Regulation is vital to its future and companies should strongly consider it as a serious area for future investment.” Africa, so leveraging local knowledge and assets is a must. This lends itself to established companies/brands/ people becoming the affiliates which will endorse the underlying brand. There is still a high level of scepticism of the feel more inclined to part with their money to brands they know and trust. Operators that take a serious interest in security are going to have a real head-start with players. Some brands like Bet.co.za are beginning to invest in above and below the line marketing campaigns, so sports enthusiasts are ever more alive to the fact that you can bet on a live fixture on your mobile phone. And there are plenty of reasons for affiliates to target Africa, not least that sport is absolutely massive, whether that is domestically or overseas. The most obvious example is that people are fanatical about the English Premier League, and it is a competition that is perfect for watching – and betting on – thanks to the proximity of the time zones. Africa: a land of opportunity Africa has incredible potential as an iGaming market. Regulation is vital to its future and companies should strongly consider it as a serious But, whether supplier, operator or affiliate, don’t underestimate the importance of having local insight, experience and understanding. We have seen many big name, international businesses struggle to get the results they expected because their iGaming products were not customised to the right audience. Natural resources have long made Africa a land of opportunity. Now is the time for forward-thinking companies and investors to focus on the virtual world. IAN BARNES is Chief Technology Officer of BetTech Gaming, a global provider of premium technology solutions to gaming companies. He is responsible for driving product development and innovation. Barnes joined BetTech from Social Code, an award-winning digital agency, ba 6VB