Peter Kesitilwe, CEO of the African iGaming Alliance (AiA), says ICE Barcelona in January can bring African regulators together with global gaming brands that want to establish themselves on the continent. The ICE Conference programme includes a stream called Navigating African Gaming.
The mistakes brands make
Kesitilwe said the most common mistake is treating Africa as a single market:
“The most common mistake is treating Africa as a single market. But Africa is not a monolith: countries differ in language, income, payment behaviour, sporting preferences, infrastructure and regulation. In fact, even within one country, customer needs can vary considerably.”
“Brands must also understand the full economics of operating locally, including taxation, payment costs, currency exposure and compliance.”
He also warned against assuming a European product and marketing strategy can be transferred unchanged:
“Another mistake is assuming that a successful European product and marketing strategy can simply be transferred. A service needs to work reliably on the devices and connections customers actually use, with accessible support and dependable withdrawals.”
“Sustainable success requires regulatory credibility, consumer trust and a commitment to the market beyond customer acquisition.”
What regulators can take from ICE
Kesitilwe said ICE gives regulators a chance to see the technology they are asked to oversee, including payments, identity verification, player monitoring, sports integrity and tools for identifying illegal activity. He encouraged them to look at what has worked elsewhere and what has produced unintended consequences, testing international experience against local conditions.
“My hope is that regulators leave with practical ideas, stronger relationships and a clearer understanding of how to support innovation while maintaining effective oversight. The greatest value comes when those conversations lead to improvements after the event.”
AiA’s priorities
He said a strong African presence at ICE would let regulators, operators, suppliers and associations explain priorities such as mobile-money access, payment costs, illegal gambling, regulatory capacity and player protection. For the AiA, the focus is cooperation with regulators, engagement with current and prospective members, and practical discussions on illegal gambling, sustainable taxation, payment access and player protection.
“I want our participation to contribute to better-informed policy, stronger consumer protection and a more sustainable licensed industry across Africa.”
Kesitilwe is among the first 20 industry leaders confirmed for the ICE Conference programme, which runs to more than 40 briefings, presentations and case studies. Italy will also have its own hub at the show; see Casa Italia at ICE Barcelona 2027. Details of the conference are on the ICE website.
