The licensing decisions taken by gaming regulators in Gabon and Zambia indicate the ongoing path of gambling in Africa.
The Gabon National Lottery (GDJ) has welcomed third-party operators seeking to operate in the country to apply for a fresh licence from the organization.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Gaming Association (ZGA) has given licensees an ultimatum to resolve non-compliance concerns with gaming legislation following repeated examination of betting and gaming enterprises in the country.
Gabon seeks new operators
As part of the overhaul of the GDJ, all existing gaming licences in Gabon will expire from 7 July with operators now needed to show an interest in working under the new licensing structure.
The regulator said the decision to switch to a new legal framework was made to modernize the country’s gaming business and offer better protection for the state and users.
Entertainment, gambling and games of chance in Gabon remain the sole domain of the GDJ, which is now attempting to establish a “transparent, fair and rigorous selection procedure” to identify fresh licensing partners.
Currently, only onshore activities are controlled in Gabon's sector. However, the push to change licensing and allow more third-party investment could prompt a look at how online gaming fits under existing regulations.
Zambia clamps down on non-compliance
Further south, the ZGA’s focus on compliance has been pushed by the growing popularity of betting and gaming in the country, the regulator said. Digital growth and expanding mobile connection has driven the popularity of betting and gaming.
ZGA president Noah Malungila informed local reporters that the regulator had been notified to a high-level of non-compliance with Zambia’s gaming legislation, leading to the necessity for additional inspections.
The inspections will be carried out with the support of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) of Zambia, the Immigration Department and local councils.
"The authority has come to know that there are many negative issues in the way this business is conducted in the country," Malungila told local reporters. “Moreover, these problems have been aggravated by tax evasion in case of non compliance.
Zambia has roughly 85 licensed operators, including land-based and online gaming.
iGaming Expert Analysis: Both steps signal a trajectory for the African market as it generates momentum toward increased compliance as the sector’s popularity continues to expand.
“The timing of the enforcement is also critical as mobile penetration will only go up and access to online gaming is reaching a revolutionary crossroad.
“I am very excited to see the growth in mobile usage in the online casino space,” said Dmitry Staroctenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming earlier.
“Ten years ago the concept of online gaming in Africa seemed impossible but now it is a reality and has great potential,” he said. The continent has its major boundaries regarding its technology and connection. “However, I don’t think anyone can underestimate the importance of a whole new region with a 1.4 billion population added to the iGaming map in only a few years.”
