From insights to action: MelBet CMO shares billion-user market strategy at Conversion Conf 2025
Anastasiia Shcherbyna delivered a presentation offering a strategic overview of the African dynamic market.
Press release.- On April 16, 2025, during Conversion Conf in Warsaw, Anastasiia Shcherbyna, CMO of MelBet Partners & Affiliates, delivered a powerful presentation titled “How to claim your billions from Africa,” offering a strategic overview of one of the most dynamic and often underestimated regions in the igaming industry.
While Africa is frequently referred to as an “emerging” market, Anastasiia emphasised that Africa is already in the game, and those who enter with the right approach are seeing real, scalable results.
Key takeaways from the session:
- Massive market potential: Over 1 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa, with rapid growth in mobile internet and digital infrastructure
- Cultural awareness is crucial: Distinct differences between anglophone and francophone regions; localisation is non-negotiable for success
- Tech landscape: Mobile-first usage, Android dominating at 85 per cent+, and Google search playing a key role in user behaviour
- Product fit: Sports betting leads the market, especially during high-traffic match days; simple, classic slots (e.g. fruits, animals) perform better than complex game mechanics
- Strong conversion rates: Offers tailored to local preferences can yield 50–60 per cent conversion in certain GEOs
- What doesn’t work: Western celebrities without localisation, political messaging, and one-size-fits-all campaigns
MelBet has already secured local licences in six African countries, allowing for legal, multi-channel promotion and impactful partnerships with local influencers and sports icons such as Didier Drogba and Mohamed Zidan.
Anastasiia’s presentation stood out for its practical insights, regional expertise, and clear strategic vision. It underscored MelBet’s long-term commitment to thoughtful, localised expansion in high-growth markets, where success is defined by understanding culture and speaking the user’s local language.
