Bingo! – African Gaming and Lottery Executives Unite to Drive Collaboration, Growth, Development

The African continent’s leading voices in gaming and lotteries convened last week (from the 1 – 4 September 2025), for the inaugural African Lotteries and Gaming Association (ALGA) CEO’s Forum, marking a historic step to harmonise regulations and strengthen collaboration across African markets.

The landmark Forum, dubbed The Black Table is the first-of-its-kind, attracting chief executive officers and regulatory boards from the continent to exchange ideas, benchmark best practices, and explore opportunities for cross-border growth.

About 23 regulators from various countries including Kenya, Benin, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Nigeria were in attendance to chart a common path not only to harmonise the industry but to strengthen responsible gaming practices, eradicate illicit gaming and drive sustainable growth that benefits African communities.

The Forum was made possible through the partnership between the African Lotteries and Gaming Association (ALGA) and Velex Advisory following the successful Gaming Tech Summit Africa (GTSA) 2025 held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Velex Advisory has built a strong reputation over the years through successful collaborations and strategic partnerships with numerous gaming regulators in the continent.

Building on the continent’s young population, the Forum envisions Africa as an emerging global leader in gaming — a sector with the potential to create economic opportunities for the youth and help bridge fiscal gaps.

With one of the fastest-growing youth demographics in the world, Africa is well positioned to harness technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship in gaming to stimulate growth.

In her keynote address, ALGA Board Chairperson Sebina Hlapolosa told industry leaders that the Forum was no ordinary gathering, but a new dawn for Africa’s role in shaping its future through aligned strategies and a collective vision for gaming and lotteries in the continent.

She said that collaboration among stakeholders would be key to ensuring that the gaming sector delivers inclusive development and tangible benefits for African societies.

“Africa is standing at the threshold of extraordinary opportunity. With a median age of just 26, we are the youngest continent in the world. This generation is digital, innovative, ambitious, and ready to lead. The question is: are we ready to support, protect, and empower the youth?” she challenged the delegates.

The Chairperson highlighted Africa’s rapidly growing digital landscape, with over 650 million smartphone users and mobile money transactions surpassing $800 billion annually. She noted that by 2030, the gaming and lotteries industry is projected to exceed $87 billion in the continent.

But with growth, she warned, comes responsibility.

“Growth without governance is a gamble we cannot afford to take. Without strong, unified standards, unregulated platforms will erode trust, exploit players, and drain the very resources meant to uplift our nations.”

Our work, she emphasised, is not just about entertainment, chance, or numbers, but nation-building.

“Every ticket sold, every digital wager placed should contribute towards schools, hospitals, and roads. It should strengthen the communities from where the money comes.”

The Chairperson issued a clarion call to the Forum to move beyond silos and fragmentation, and instead embrace a new era defined by unity of purpose and intentional collaboration

“For too long, Africa’s gaming and lottery industry has operated in silos. Today, we commit to breaking down those barriers. We are determined to create an industry that works for Africa and speaks with one voice to the world.”

Hlapolosa stated that regulatory harmony was essential to unlocking growth and protecting consumers.

“If we are united, we can close the door on illegal operators, ensure fairness, and channel revenues into the development priorities our people need most,” she emphasized.

“Let us commit to something bigger than ourselves. Let us commit to collaboration, to building an African ecosystem where value remains in Africa and Africa defines its own global footprint.

The jackpot we seek is not measured in billions. It is measured in the empowerment of our youth, the strength of our institutions, and the prosperity of our people, she said.

ALGA Chief Executive Officer Musa Mngadi echoed the Chairperson’s remarks, describing the Forum as a ‘milestone moment’ for Africa’s gaming and lottery sector to work together in addressing key regulatory, social, and technical challenges.

This is more than a meeting, he said, calling it as a birth of a new framework for collaboration in in Africa.

“We are not here to replace existing associations or compete with one another. This Forum is about fostering collaboration and ensuring that regulators across Africa are aligned, protected, and empowered to safeguard their markets. Our industry is not just about entertainment — it is about national development, job creation and building trust with our citizens,” he explained.

The CEO explained that the journey ahead required both the authority of vision and the humility of collaboration, reiterating that the sector can no longer thrive in isolation.

“Our mission is to unify the industry, to create platforms where regulators and operators can work together, and to ensure that lotteries and gaming contribute meaningfully to national development agendas,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of continental solidarity: “When we speak with one voice, Africa becomes a market of scale. Together, we can attract investment, accelerate innovation, set world-class standards, enhance credibility and influence policy at both national and international levels.”

He underscored that the Forum was intentionally designed as a peer-to-peer platform for leaders to share raw experiences and challenges, rather than simply showcasing successes.

Furthermore, the CEO pointed to the digital revolution as a driving force in reshaping the industry.

“Technology has transformed how we live, and how people participate in gambling and lotteries,” he noted. “Mobile money alone has revolutionised markets across the continent and offers lessons for countries like South Africa, where adoption has lagged behind.”

According to Mngadi, Africa is too vast and too dynamic for its gaming and lottery markets to be left to chance.      

“By standing together, we can attract investment, safeguard our communities and shape a sustainable future, eradicate illegal lotteries and gambling in our continent. Illegal gambling remains an unabated challenge because of laws that do not work in sync from one state to another.

“We need the CEOs Forum to lobby certain agendas and ensure that an operator that is operating legally in one jurisdiction is not exploiting another jusrisdiction by operating illegally and collecting deposits that do not benefit the fiscus of that jurisdiction,”

Weighing in on the importance of collaboration, Velex Advisory Managing Director, David Moshi said the vision of the  CEOs Forum had an untapped potential to transform the continent.

“This is a journey that began with a dream in 2022 when I attended a conference in Europe and I painfully saw how Africa’s captains of industry were not provided the right platform to be able to express themselves, not just as a follower but as a leader of the industry,” he said.

Moshi urged industry leaders to take this as an opportunity to lead from the front.

“You are leaders, and this Forum gives you the deserved recognition and the role that you play in this particular sector.

“Africa stands at a crossroads where innovation meets responsibility. The future of gambling must not be shaped by chance, but by choice. Technology has broken boundaries. We have a new generation that is creative, ambitious, but must be shown the direction. You are the leaders to show this direction. You are the leaders to shape an African future,” he said.

Ntiyiso Consulting Group’s CEO Alex Mabunda told the industry that the formation of the  CEOs Forum was not only historic but coincides with Africa’s rapid growth in gaming market globally.

He explained that last year South Africa recorded over one trillion rand in spending on gaming, saying the continent’s youthful population and fast adoption of digital technology is expected to continue fuellin this rapid growth into the foreseeable future.

“The growth rate is already at double digit compound annual growth rate. There is every reason for meaning to be derived from these statistics and trends in the context of Africa’s challenges relating to development deficit that is characterised by poverty, famine and in some instances, social instabilities, “he said.

Mabunda noted that the revenue contributions that gaming is able to generate provides an opportunity to intervene on socio-economic challenges that governments are unable to resolve due to budgetary constraints.

He stated that the sector’s growing revenue has a potential to elevate gaming in Africa to become the fifth estate alongside continental bodies such as the African Union and the Pan African Parliament.

This he, said can only be possible if the African gaming fraternity can organise itself in terms of the Alga’s call for collaboration and run itself with this developmental agenda in mind.

“The formation of Alga has created the necessary condition for this noble idea to become a reality,” he said.

African Communities hit jackpot as gaming and lottery leaders welcome newly formed continental body: The CEOs Forum – “The Black Table”

Africa’s gaming and lotteries leaders have responded to a call from the African Lotteries and Gaming Association (ALGA) to establish a  CEOs Forum aimed at advancing a continental developmental agenda and tackling illicit activities, as gaming revenues surge across the continent despite fragmented coordination.

The  CEOs Forum, aptly named The Black Table, brings together regulators to align policies, share data, and streamline standardization processes. It also advocates for responsible, technology-driven gaming for the benefit of African communities, while fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, including government entities, gaming operators, and technology providers.

Regulators and CEOs from Kenya, Benin, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa have committed to a coordinated and unified approach to address opportunities and challenges in the gaming and lottery sector. Additional countries are expected to join the Forum in the coming months.

The Forum will be especially important for countries like Namibia, which is in the process of establishing its own national lottery. Namibian lottery and gaming executives have already embarked on benchmarking tours to countries such as Kenya and Botswana, but this platform — bringing all stakeholders to one table — is regarded as both highly effective and a golden opportunity.

CEO of the Nambian Lottery Board, Dr John Shimaneni said the Forum came at the backdrop of Namibia signing a Memorandum of Understanding with neighbouring Botswana to consolidate regional cooperation, reiterating that sitting in one table will fastrack collaboration amongst countries.

 “The Forum will assist us to share opportunities and failures which help new players to avoid making the same mistakes,” he said.

He also called for the Forum to “Africanise” the Lottery and gaming landscape in order for Afrika to solve African problems.

“Africa’s socio-economic dynamics differ from those in Europe. For example, we would rather see 100 million won by 20 people than 200 million won by a single individual. This reflects a uniquely African approach — ensuring that winnings are more widely distributed to benefit as many people as possible, rather than concentrated in the hands of one,” he said

Botswana Gambling Authority’s CEO Moruntshi Kemorwale’s remarked that the platform is long overdue.

“This is, of course, long overdue. We needed a continental Forum where leaders in the gambling and Lottery industry can meet and address strategic solutions to chart a way for the future of Africa.

Kemorwale’s explained that the Forum is important in the context of the rapid growth of the Lottery and gaming market in Africa.

“If we look at the statistics, the majority of Africa’s population is youthful. By 2030, we are projected to lead the global gambling market. Yet, when we assess how prepared different jurisdictions are, it becomes clear that we are not there yet. There are significant variances in how countries are positioning themselves. This is the gap the Forum seeks to close — by harmonising the landscape and driving a unified approach,” he said.

Kemorwale urged the Forum to explore distinctly African opportunities, such as incorporating indigenous games into the gaming mainstream.

“Gaming is not foreign to Africa. Our great-grandparents created games that never saw the light of day beyond entertainment. We need to develop traditional games like Mhele and Morabaraba and commercialise them for the benefit of Africans,’ he said.”

Pursuance to this goal, Botswana Gambling Authority is sponsoring 11 students to pursue masters and doctorate programs to enhance the understanding of the gambling industry and to produce meaningful research papers on the sector. 

For South Africa’s Mpumalanga Gambling Board CEO, Vusumuzi Mtsweni, the Forum is key in mobilizing the gambling and lottery sector to promote education.

“The main challenge is education around what constitutes legal versus illegal gambling. When people are unaware of the difference, they become vulnerable — and this often leads to the rise of problem gambling, social ills and even criminal activities,” he said.

Mtsweni added that education should also make Africans aware that gambling proceeds are used to help governments bridge service delivery gaps.

“In addition, most operators contribute a percentage of their revenues towards corporate social responsibility initiatives, as a way of reinvesting in and uplifting communities,” he said.

Echoing Mtsweni’s words, South Africa’s National Lottery Commissioner Jodi Scholtz, said Illegal lotteries generate over R1 billion annually.

These, she said are funds that should be flowing to good causes.

“Our mandate is not only to regulate but protect participants, ensure transparency, and safeguard vulnerable communities,” the Commissioner added.

The Commissioner also underscored the Commission’s role in social upliftment through the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund, which allocates proceeds from ticket sales to sectors such as charity, arts, sports, and heritage.

Since its inception, the National Lottery has injected more than R32 billion towards good causes. In the past year alone, this funding created over 3,000 jobs, with women accounting for 75 percent of the opportunities,” she revealed.

Among the success stories is Phuthaditshaba Centre, an Alexandra-based organisation that delivers youth programmes, Early Childhood Development initiatives, and elderly care — demonstrating the Lottery’s lasting impact on communities.

The Commissioner said that funding priorities increasingly address urgent national issues, including youth unemployment, education, gender-based violence, and disaster relief.

Meanwhile, Guinea’s Director-General, CISSE Mamadou, urged the Forum to maintain its momentum, highlighting its importance in harmonise regulations in Africa.

“This platform has given us a strong start, and we do not want to lose this pace. We aim to continue beyond this inaugural sitting, with online engagements to advance the standardisation of laws and seize the opportunities Africa presents,” he said.

Mamadou urged the Forum to place youth at the centre of its future agenda, noting that Africa’s young people continue to grapple with joblessness, poverty, and inequality.

The sector has a critical role to play in addressing these economic challenges. Regulators must work together to shape a shared future — one that is not only free from fraud and money laundering, but also contributes meaningfully to key sectors such as education and health,” he said.

Burundi Gaming Board CEO, Fabrice Niragira, noted that the Forum comes at an opportune time, as Africa experiences exponential growth in the online gaming sector.

“This is the right moment for continental leaders in gaming and lottery to converge, exchange ideas, and share experiences, which will help us improve the sector in Africa,” he said.

Niragira also cautioned that the Forum should prioritise the development of Africa-based operators, who will, in turn, reinvest revenue back into the continent.

“Most non-African operators enter the continent, extract profits, and reinvest them in their own countries. It is time for us, as Africans, to expand opportunities for local operators and ensure that we are the ones driving Africa’s development agenda,” he said.

Closing the Forum, ALGA’s CEO, Musa Mngadi, emphasized that the sustainability and success of the initiative rests in the hands of the participating CEOs from across Africa.

‘The  CEOs Forum was established to ensure that leaders take ownership in driving the framework and shaping policies on how they wish to engage. They will also develop their own key performance indicators, with clear deliverables set and driven by them,’ he said.

Mngadi confirmed that another instalment of  CEOs Forum will be held next year.

“In the interim, we will have engagements online like webinars between the CEOs and also connect through quarterly publications that will showcase the work of the sector,” he said.