{"id":21253,"date":"2026-03-25T09:39:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/?p=21253"},"modified":"2026-04-19T07:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T10:20:43","slug":"igaming-afrika-summit-awards-2026-shortlist-reveal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/igaming-afrika-summit-awards-2026-shortlist-reveal","title":{"rendered":"iGaming AFRIKA Summit Awards 2026 Shortlist Reveal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>iGaming AFRIKA Summit has announced the shortlists for the inaugural iGA Summit Awards. The ceremony, held in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 5, will celebrate excellence across 25 industry categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Press release.- <strong>iGaming AFRIKA Summit (iGA Summit 2026)&nbsp;<\/strong>has announced the shortlists for the 1st edition of the&nbsp;<strong>iGA Summit Awards<\/strong>, the first ceremony to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of the inaugural&nbsp;<strong>iGaming AFRIKA Summit 2026<\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sbcevents.com\/sbc-summit\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Themed \u201ccelebrating excellence and innovation within the African gaming industry\u201d, the ceremony will spotlight standout achievements from operators, providers, industry leaders, and suppliers across a broad spectrum of sectors, including tech, payments, advertising, and platform innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The awards roadmap spans from the initiation of nominations in early 2025 to the grand winners&#8217; announcement on May 5, 2026, with<strong> 25 awards up for grabs<\/strong>. The 2026 shortlist comprises:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sports Betting Operator of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising the (retail and\/or online) operator in Africa that has delivered an exceptional sports betting experience over the past 12 months while focusing on product innovation, user experience, Corporate Social Responsibility, Responsible Marketing, Compliance and responsible gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Betway Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SportPesa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Betika<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BetKing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SportyBet<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sports Betting Supplier of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honouring the provider that has made the most significant impact on the African sports betting industry through cutting-edge technology and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>EveryMatrix<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digitain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diamante Tech<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Race<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digient Technologies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Casino of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising the land-based casino operator that has delivered an exceptional guest experience, strong commercial performance, and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sun City Casino \u2013 South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emperors Palace \u2013 South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Federal Palace Hotel &amp; Casino \u2013 Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moyo Casino &#8211; Kenya<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mayfair Casino &#8211; Kenya<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Casino Supplier of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating suppliers delivering outstanding products and services to the African land-based casino sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Novomatic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EGT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pragmatic Play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FAZI Company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>QTech Games<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Online Casino of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honouring the operator that has delivered an exceptional online gaming experience with strong game portfolios and RG commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MelBet Casino<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mozzart Casino<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1XBet Casino<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>22bet Casino<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hollywoodbets Casino<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Online Slot of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating the most outstanding slot game launched in Africa over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>African Gold by 7777Gaming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ten Shining Diamonds by EGT Digital<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wild Hot 40 by FAZI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chest of Cai Shen by Pragmatic Play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2025 Hit Slot by Endorphina<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Online Slot Supplier of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating the supplier delivering outstanding slot game products in the African region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Amusnet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Booming Games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fazi Company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1Spin4Win<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pragmatic Play<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Affiliate Platform of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honouring companies showcasing exceptional affiliate platform performance, innovation, and service in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Raventrack<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alanbase<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Affilka by SOFTSWISS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AffiGates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PartnerMatrix by EveryMatrix<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Affiliate Program of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising affiliate programs demonstrating strong commitment to mutually beneficial relationships in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1win Partners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WinWin Partners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1XPartners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Linebet Partners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>22Bet Partners<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Platform Provider of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating suppliers empowering operators with robust, flexible, and secure gaming solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>BetConstruct<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digitain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Altenar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOFTSWISS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Betfounder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Service Provider of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honouring expert service providers across consultancy, legal, compliance, payments, marketing, and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Slec Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ocean Gaming Consult Ltd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>iGaming Consult Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SumSub<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Betting Jobs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Crash Game of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating the crash game that has captivated players with fast-paced, high-risk gameplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aviator by Spribe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Matatu by Shacks Evolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shark Rush by SimplePlay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>JetX by SmartSoft<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chicken Road by InOut Games<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Crash Game Provider of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating companies delivering exceptional crash game experiences to African players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Split the Pot AB<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OnlyPlay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aviatrix<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spribe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SmartSoft<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marketing Campaign of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating creative and responsible marketing campaigns delivering measurable success in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bola Queens campaign by Bolabet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let\u2019s do it Again Campaign by bet9ja<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Betika na Community by Betika<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Play with Champions by Sportybet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Francis Ngannou x Premierbet Campaign<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>New Operation Launch of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spotlighting newly launched operations that enhanced player experience and industry standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Chopbet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pepeta<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Betgr8<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MulaSport<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chezagame<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Emerging Provider of the Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising companies disrupting the market through innovation, growth, and bold strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choice Gaming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leprecoins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tada Gaming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SimplePlay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>OptimoPlay<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rising Star in Responsible Gambling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honouring companies or organisations demonstrating exceptional commitment to player protection and sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fisayo Oke, Gamble Alert &#8211; Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tumelo Mokoena, The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation &#8211; South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Denis Mudene, CEO, National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board &#8211; Uganda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moruntshi Kemorwale acting chief executive officer, Gambling Authority &#8211; Botswana<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr. Alfred Gitonga, cnsultant psychiatrist, Responsible Gambling Kenya<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overall Corporate Social Responsibility Award<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising companies integrating ethical, social, and environmental stewardship into core operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>a. SportPesa<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>b. Betika<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>c. Premierbet<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>d. betPawa<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>e. Odi Bets<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CEO of the Year Award<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating chief executives driving growth, innovation, and excellence in African gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ulrik Bengtsson, Sunbet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mutua Mutava, Betika<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laurence Michel, Betway Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sudeep Dalamal Ramnani, SportyBet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gossy Ukanwoke, BetKing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>iGaming AFRIKA Choice \u2013 Person of the Year (Male)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating a male individual driving positive change in African iGaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>John Mutua, CEO, Association of Gaming Operators Kenya (AGOK)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peter Emolemo, CEO, African iGaming Alliance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Musa Mngadi, CEO, African Lotteries and Gaming Association<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Garron Whitesman, Founding partner, Whitesmans Attorneys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christopher Coyne, CEO, 888Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>iGaming AFRIKA Choice \u2013 Person of the Year (Female)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celebrating a female individual driving positive change in African iGaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lois Bright, Founder, Women in Gaming Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>iGaming AFRIKA Summit has announced the shortlists for the inaugural iGA Summit Awards. The ceremony, held in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 5, will celebrate excellence across 25 industry categories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":176,"featured_media":21255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"is_press_release":true,"is_interview":false,"is_opinion":false,"focusai_summary":"The iGaming AFRIKA Summit has announced the shortlists for its inaugural iGA Summit Awards, scheduled for May 5, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya. These awards will recognize excellence and innovation across 25 categories within the African gaming industry, spotlighting achievements from operators, providers, and suppliers in various verticals including sports betting, casino, and platform technology. This event serves as a key industry benchmark for performance and innovation in the burgeoning African iGaming market.","focusai_entities":"Betway Africa, SportPesa, Betika, BetKing, SportyBet, EveryMatrix, Digitain, Diamante Tech, Golden Race, Digient Technologies, Sun City Casino, Emperors Palace, The Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, Moyo Casino, Mayfair Casino, Novomatic, EGT, Pragmatic Play, FAZI Company, QTech Games, MelBet Casino, Mozzart Casino, 1XBet Casino, 22bet Casino, Hollywoodbets Casino, 7777Gaming, EGT Digital, Endorphina, Amusnet, Booming Games, 1Spin4Win, Raventrack, Alanbase, SOFTSWISS, AffiGates, 1win Partners, WinWin Partners, 1XPartners, Linebet Partners, 22Bet Partners, BetConstruct, Altenar, Betfounder, Slec Africa, Ocean Gaming Consult Ltd, iGaming Consult Africa, SumSub, Betting Jobs, Spribe, Shacks Evolution, SimplePlay, SmartSoft, InOut Games, Split the Pot AB, OnlyPlay, Aviatrix, iGaming AFRIKA Summit","focusai_location":"Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Africa","focusai_target_profile":"ceo_executive (0.9), regulator (0.7), compliance_legal (0.75), operator_casino (0.95), affiliate_publisher (0.9), product_ux (0.85), tech_data (0.85), marketing_crm (0.8), payments_fraud_aml (0.7), investor_analyst (0.9), supplier_vendor (0.95), journalist_researcher (0.9)","focusai_suggestions":[{"label":"African Market Impact","query":"What specific market share shifts or strategic partnerships are anticipated among the shortlisted operators and suppliers following the iGA Summit Awards, particularly concerning their GGR and NGR projections in key African jurisdictions?"},{"label":"Regulatory Compliance Benchmarks","query":"How do the compliance and responsible gaming criteria for these awards align with evolving regulatory frameworks in prominent African iGaming markets, and what implications does this have for B2B\/B2C licensing and governance?"}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[60013,60156,60681],"tags":[60847],"class_list":["post-21253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-east-africa","category-events-articles","category-igaming-afrika-summit-2026","tag-igaming-afrika-summit-2026","press-release"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21253"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21260,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21253\/revisions\/21260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}