Interactive
AFRICA GAMING MARKET KIRON, PRONET,
BETGAMES.TV
Africa in Lockdown: Te Big Question
How has gaming performed in Africa under lockdown, and how do you see it impacting the future of the African market?
through online platforms. Tis forced channel- shift away from retail has triggered a constructive increase in online revenue and uptake of digital products worldwide - a well- reported trend which holds as true across African markets as any other.
Steven Spartinos, Co-CEO, Kiron
When countries across the globe suddenly went into lockdown, the retail betting sector all but ground to a halt. In Africa, where retail operations dominate the gaming landscape, activity dropped off significantly throughout the continent, especially in territories like South Africa where betting shops were forced to shutter operations for months. Even in some smaller markets which remained open for business, such as Tanzania, Malawi and Burundi, income still stammered.
Yet, the resultant influx of players to the online market and the alternative gaming products it offers has provided a small silver lining. During the postponement of live sports, virtual content substitutes have succeeded in keeping customers active despite not being able to bet on their favourite teams or players – and it did so
P162 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
In the last few months we have experienced substantial growth in virtual football and virtual horse racing with international football fixtures being cancelled as well as live racing being paused. Our number games saw an increase too, mostly proving popular with players who enjoy a quick-fire gameplay and fast results. Having a solid foothold on the ground on the African continent and deep knowledge of specific market regulations meant we were able to quickly adapt to the changing conditions and ensure our partners were ready to cater for the shifting demand whilst maintaining player safety.
If the current pace of growth continues, a paradigm shift towards the online market seems inevitable. More and more punters are switching to the ease and comfort of placing a bet online - when and wherever they like - and acquisition of new customers is also rising. Retail-focused operators have recognised the necessity of building a stronger online presence as a more consistent, cost-efficient revenue stream, which will likely bring a wave of new consumer-facing brands across Africa.
Tat isn’t to say that retail won’t continue to dominate, however. Tere are many challenges in operating an online platform in African markets, including infrastructure, the cost of data usage and smart phone costs – to name but a few. Demand will therefore still be present too, especially among the less tech savvy or punters who enjoy the social aspect of betting shops. Te real winners will be those that excel in both environments and seamlessly integrate the offline and online experiences.
Richard Hogg, CCO,
BetGames.TV
From what we have seen with our partners, as many as 70 per cent of players stopped betting at all during the cancellation of live sport. From those that did migrate over however, we have observed good numbers, particularly in South Africa, where player retention for games sits as high as 35 per cent.
Te fact that our live betting games intrinsically attract a lower spend with far more regular play (as well as lending themselves to the fixed odds outcome format), has ensured that we have been popular with sportsbook customers.
As expected, our key learning has been that
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