Jaime Carvajal, 1spin4win: “Localisation is especially important for operators and providers across African markets”

Jaime Carvajal, Business Development Manager at 1spin4win, discusses the company’s recent performance and its strategy for growth in the African igaming market.

Exclusive interview.- Africa has become a key growth region for providers looking to strengthen their international footprint.

In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Jaime Carvajal, business development manager at 1spin4win, reflects on the company’s experience at the iGaming AFRIKA Summit 2026 in Nairobi, the growing importance of regional partnerships, and the key trends shaping African casino markets. He also discusses insights from 1spin4win’s recent research with Blask, the continued dominance of slots across African lobbies, and how localisation, mobile optimisation, and player demand are influencing the company’s expansion strategy across the region.

How would you describe 1spin4win’s overall experience at the iGaming AFRIKA Summit 2026, and what stood out most from your time in Nairobi?

For 1spin4win, the iGaming AFRIKA Summit 2026 was a highly valuable experience. Nairobi offered a very energetic setting for the event, with vibrant stands, an open atmosphere, and plenty of opportunities for direct communication across the industry.

What we appreciated most was the strong local presence. The summit gave us a chance to speak directly with regional operators, learn more about local market expectations, and better understand how African igaming markets are developing from the inside.

Your team reported strong engagement at Stand E11 throughout the event. What kinds of conversations or partnership opportunities were especially meaningful for 1spin4win?

Our team had a busy schedule throughout the summit, meeting with many regional operators and discussing opportunities for future cooperation. A major topic across these conversations was the growing demand for classic slot products optimised for African market conditions.

Many attendees specifically pointed to smooth mobile performance, lightweight design, and reliable gameplay on weaker internet connections and lower-spec devices as key strengths of the 1spin4win portfolio. This kind of feedback confirms that our products are well aligned with regional expectations.

We also continue to see this reflected in our performance results. Compared to Q4 2025, bets increased by 9.73 per cent in Q1 2026, while player numbers grew by 8.23 per cent.

You participated in the session ‘Best Selling Games and Casino Platforms in Africa.’ What were some of the key insights or takeaways shared during that discussion?

One of the key themes discussed during the session was the growing importance of localisation. Operators increasingly expect providers to understand regional player behaviour and adapt their content accordingly, rather than simply bringing the same products that perform well in other markets.

Another major takeaway was that Africa should never be treated as one single market. The continent consists of 54 countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, player habits, and content preferences. Themes and mechanics that perform strongly in one region may not necessarily resonate in another, which makes localisation especially important for operators and providers working across African markets.

The discussion also highlighted the increasing demand for mobile-first products with fast loading speeds, intuitive gameplay, and stable performance on weaker internet connections. These principles are already central to the 1spin4win approach, with lightweight games optimised for smaller screens and lower-spec devices.

“One of the key themes discussed during the session was the growing importance of localisation.”

Jaime Carvajal, business development manager at 1spin4win.

1spin4win was also nominated for Online Slot Supplier of the Year at the iGA Awards. What did that recognition mean for the company at this stage of its international growth?

The nomination was an important milestone for 1spin4win and a meaningful sign that our work is gaining international recognition. For our team, it reflects the consistent focus we place on building stable, high-performing products that appeal to players across multiple markets.

Receiving this recognition while actively expanding in Africa made it even more significant, as it demonstrated the growing visibility of the 1spin4win brand within the global industry.

In your recent report developed together with Blask, slots accounted for 71 per cent of the Top 30 games in African casino lobbies. What do you believe explains the continued dominance of slots across the region?

Slots continue to lead because they remain the most familiar casino format for players. Together with games like blackjack and roulette, they are closely associated with the traditional casino experience and remain one of the core pillars of gambling entertainment.

Their accessibility also plays a major role. Slots are easy to understand, quick to engage with, and require very little onboarding from the player. In markets where straightforward gameplay and accessibility are especially important, these qualities naturally support long-term popularity.

The report also highlighted a gap between lobby visibility and actual player demand. What lessons should operators and suppliers take from those findings when designing their content strategies for African markets?

One of the key conclusions from the report is that player demand is increasingly forming outside the casino platform itself. Search engines, social media, streamers, and online communities now play a major role in influencing what players want to play before they even enter the lobby.

Because of this, operators need to move beyond traditional content strategies focused mainly on provider coverage and lobby placement. The priority should be understanding actual player demand and making sure the games audiences are already looking for are visible and easily accessible.

For providers, this reinforces the importance of creating games with lasting engagement value. Strong mathematics, intuitive gameplay, and replayability are becoming increasingly important in building loyal audiences over time.

“Operators need to move beyond traditional content strategies focused mainly on provider coverage and lobby placement.”

Jaime Carvajal, business development manager at 1spin4win.

Africa has clearly become a strategic focus for 1spin4win. Which markets are currently the biggest priorities for the company, and what factors make them especially attractive?

Europe remains our core market, but Africa and Latin America are among the main growth directions for 1spin4win in 2026. Both regions continue to expand rapidly, driven by increasing mobile penetration and growing interest in online casino entertainment.

Research conducted together with Blask clearly supports this trend. Slots currently account for 71 per cent of the Top 30 games in African casino lobbies and 67 per cent in Latin America, ahead of both live casino and crash products.

This demand closely aligns with the 1spin4win portfolio. Our focus on classic slot gameplay, intuitive mechanics, balanced mathematics, and mobile optimisation naturally aligns with players’ preferences across both regions.

Your recent partnership with OdiBets was presented as another step in your African expansion. How does that collaboration reflect 1spin4win’s broader approach to building local partnerships and adapting products to regional player preferences?

The partnership with OdiBets reflects the long-term approach behind 1spin4win’s African expansion strategy — combining strong local partnerships with products tailored to regional player habits.

Since more actively entering African markets in 2025, we have continued to expand our regional presence, with 1spin4win games now available through brands such as BC.Game, 1xBet, 22Bet, N1Bet, and 1Win.

This expansion has already delivered strong business results. Compared to 2024, 1spin4win recorded 11.8x GGR growth and a 9.2x increase in bets across the region.