During the discussion, Ronnie Whelan highlighted that Africa offers strong growth potential thanks to rising smartphone use, better mobile connectivity, and a young, digitally engaged audience. However, he stressed that operators cannot apply a single approach across all markets. Success depends on understanding how local players behave.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCommenting on the discussion, Olga Resiga, chief business development officer at SOFTSWISS, said: \u201cAlthough the market is largely shaped by low-stakes players, success comes from managing large player volumes through personalised strategies. This requires deep player analytics, precise bonus management, and personalised marketing mechanics applied at scale. This is exactly where SOFTSWISS focuses its efforts <\/strong>\u2013 helping operators combine volume, efficiency, and sustainable growth through technology and expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The speakers explored the differences in player preferences. For example, Nigeria leans towards sports betting, while South Africa favours casino games. To succeed, operators must adapt their product mix, gamification, and retention strategies. Regulation and compliance were other key topics. Ronnie Whelan noted that in the evolving regulatory frameworks across Africa, cooperation with local authorities is essential. Operators must build systems that can adapt to regulatory changes while protecting players. <\/p>\n\n\n Ronnie Whelan, CEO of KingMakers, shared: \u201cAfrican markets offer strong growth potential, but they reward focus and discipline. Operators need to understand each market on its own terms. That\u2019s the only way to build products that genuinely fit local players. Discussions like this are valuable because they move the conversation beyond headlines and into practical execution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whelan also views crypto and stablecoins as worth exploring and potentially valuable, provided operators adopt them responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These themes extend beyond Africa and are explored in greater depth in the\u00a02026 iGaming Trends<\/a>\u00a0report by SOFTSWISS, which covers global market dynamics including regulation, AI adoption, betting formats, cybersecurity, and responsible gambling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/SOFTSWISS-and-KingMakers-at-ICE-Barcelona-3-900x600.jpg\")
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