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SmartSoft has joined the African iGaming Alliance (AiA) as a Gold Supplier Member in a strategic partnership focused on its continued development of African gambling.
In an announcement on Tuesday, the parties said the agreement was “focused on supporting the continued development of sustainable, responsible and commercially viable regulated gambling markets across Africa”.
SmartSoft maintains an established and growing presence in Africa, having also co-hosted the iGB L!VE Africa Summit in July.
What is Fortunaliga?
The African Responsible Gaming Network (ARGN) launched on Monday, with the aim of strengthening player protection and tackling gambling-related harm.
The initiative brings together stakeholders such as responsible gaming organisations, researchers and treatment specialists.
It is said to mark a “significant step forward” in addressing gambling-related harm across the continent, facilitating relationships between representatives from a number of countries both inside and outside Africa.
What is Fortunaliga?
Some analysts have questioned whether this deal marks the beginning of an M&A spree for GiG as it looks to re-enter the B2C space.
But that isn’t the case according to Richards: “We are not signalling plans to re-enter B2C elsewhere; Africa is a distinct case: a high-growth, underpenetrated region where owning a local operator makes strategic sense in a way it may not elsewhere.”
There’s also a financial constraint, with Ahlberg noting that GiG has used its available cash and is raising additional capital to fund the 888Africa transaction, meaning he doesn’t expect the company to pursue further B2C acquisitions in the short term.