Africa’s gaming industry demands more than imported strategies and European market assumptions. It requires local intelligence, cultural understanding, regulatory awareness and commercially relevant execution.
In this edition, we engage Solomon Godwin, whose experience spans senior commercial and business development leadership across MOFO.win, Booming Games, Arrise (powering Pragmatic Play) and Pragmatic Play.
With a strong understanding of Africa’s gaming business landscape, Godwin offers an industry perspective on why operators, suppliers and investors must rethink how they approach the continent.
Africa is not Europe’s gaming extension. It is a distinct market that demands its own strategy, investment logic and commercial priorities.
Africa is getting increasingly important to the global iGaming industry. What does Africa mean to Booming Games today—not simply as a revenue market, but as a strategic market for the company’s long-term growth?
For me, Africa represents far more than another market where Booming Games can distribute its products and generate revenue. I see Africa as one of the most strategically important regions for the future of the global iGaming industry.
Having spent over a decade working across African gaming markets, I have witnessed how the industry has evolved from predominantly retail sports betting into a much broader digital entertainment ecosystem.
Today, we are seeing increasing smartphone adoption, improving internet connectivity, the expansion of digital payment infrastructure, and a growing number of operators looking to diversify their offerings beyond traditional sports betting.
These developments create significant opportunities for international game suppliers, but they also demand a different approach to market entry and expansion.
At Booming Games, our interest in Africa is not simply about how many operators we can sign or how quickly we can increase our market share. It is about building a sustainable presence through meaningful partnerships, understanding local consumer behaviour, supporting regulated market development, and establishing our brand as a trusted long-term partner.
Africa is also strategically important because it challenges international suppliers to think differently about product development, commercial models, distribution, and customer engagement.
I have always maintained that Africa should not be treated as an extension of a European gaming strategy. It deserves its own commercial priorities, product considerations, and long-term investment.
Ultimately, our ambition is to build a business in which Africa contributes not only to Booming Games’ revenue growth but also to how we innovate, develop partnerships, and shape our global expansion strategy.
Booming Games appears to be performing strongly across several African markets. What do you believe is driving that performance, and what is Booming Games doing differently from other international game suppliers?
I would attribute our progress in Africa to three fundamental factors: the quality of our content, our approach to strategic partnerships, and our understanding of local markets.
First, we have a strong portfolio of games with engaging mechanics, attractive visuals, and entertaining features. However, I have always believed that having excellent games is only the starting point. In Africa, product quality alone does not guarantee commercial success.
You must understand the operators, their customer demographics, the regulatory environment, the commercial realities, and the type of content that resonates with their players and that is where our approach makes a difference.
We are intentional about building relationships with operators and distribution partners who understand their respective markets. Our expansion through partnerships with operators reflects this strategy.
We also recognize that Africa is not a homogeneous market. What works commercially in South Africa may require a completely different approach in Kenya, Nigeria, or Francophone Africa.
Another important factor is our willingness to listen. Rather than approaching operators with a predetermined portfolio and expecting them to make it work, we engage them to understand their business objectives, player preferences, promotional requirements, and operational challenges. For me, sustainable success in Africa is not about how many games you supply. It is about how effectively those games perform for your partners and how much value you create through the relationship. That philosophy continues to guide our African expansion.
Let’s talk about your USP. What is the fundamental reason an African operator should choose Booming Games over another international game provider?
I believe the strongest reason an African operator should choose Booming Games is the combination of premium gaming content, commercial flexibility, and a genuine commitment to partnership. The African iGaming market is becoming increasingly competitive. Operators have access to numerous international game suppliers, many offering similar products and making similar promises. Therefore, the real differentiator is no longer simply the number of games in your portfolio. It is the value you deliver beyond integration.
At Booming Games, we bring a diverse portfolio of entertaining slot games, innovative mechanics, and internationally recognized content. But equally important is our commitment to helping operators maximize the commercial potential of those products.
We understand that African operators face different challenges, including customer acquisition costs, player retention, varying spending capacities, and intense competition for wallet share. Our approach is to work collaboratively with operators on content selection, promotional opportunities, product positioning, and market-specific commercial strategies.
We also introduce international product standards while maintaining local market engagement. I would summaries our unique selling proposition in one statement:
“Booming Games combines global gaming excellence with local market understanding, supported by partnerships that priorities long-term commercial performance over short-term distribution.”
For an African operator, that means working with a supplier that wants to understand the business, not simply integrate its games and move on.
How much of Booming Games’ product strategy for Africa is actually developed around African players? Are you building for Africa, or adapting products originally designed for other markets?
This is an important question, and I believe it deserves a transparent answer.
Historically, much of the international slot industry has developed products primarily for established European and other mature gaming markets before introducing those products into emerging regions, including Africa. That is an industry-wide reality, and I do not believe we should pretend otherwise.
At Booming Games, we have a portfolio of internationally developed games, many of which have universal appeal. However, we increasingly recognize the importance of ensuring that our product selection, positioning, and future development considerations reflect African player preferences. There is a significant difference between making a game available in Africa and developing a product strategy around African consumers.
The latter requires understanding local spending patterns, preferred game mechanics, session behaviour, mobile usage, connectivity limitations, and cultural preferences.
For example, in some African markets, players may prefer games with straightforward mechanics, accessible betting options, and an entertaining experience that does not require lengthy explanations. In other markets, players may demonstrate stronger interest in feature-rich slots, branded content, or more sophisticated gaming experiences.
Our responsibility is to translate these insights into meaningful feedback for our product and development teams.
I also believe African operators should play a more active role in shaping the product roadmaps of international suppliers. My long-term position is that Africa should move from being predominantly a consumer of internationally developed gaming content to becoming an active contributor to product innovation.
Employment is a major issue in Africa’s iGaming ecosystem. How many Africans are currently employed directly or indirectly by Booming Games, and what kinds of opportunities is the company creating beyond sales and business development?
Employment and talent development are subjects I am particularly passionate about because I believe the long-term success of Africa’s gaming industry must be measured by more than revenue generation. We must also consider the economic opportunities the industry creates for African professionals.
Booming Games is an international company with a diverse workforce. As our presence across Africa expands, there are opportunities to contribute to the wider employment ecosystem through our operations, commercial partnerships, and relationships with local businesses. I believe the more important discussion is about the quality and diversity of opportunities we create.
Historically, many international gaming companies entering Africa have focused their local recruitment primarily on sales, business development, and account management.
While those functions are essential, I believe the industry’s employment potential extends much further. There are opportunities in technology, product management, game development, quality assurance, compliance, data analytics, customer experience, marketing, and other specialist functions.
Africa has a growing population of talented technology professionals who are capable of contributing to these areas. My ambition is to see more African professionals participating in the creation, development, and management of gaming products rather than being involved only in their commercial distribution. As our African business develops, I believe identifying and supporting these capabilities should remain an important consideration. The true economic value of international gaming investment in Africa should include the skills, expertise, and career opportunities that remain within the continent.Africa is not one market. Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and Francophone Africa have different regulations, cultures, payment systems and player behaviours. How does Booming Games localise its products across these very different markets?
One principle I have consistently maintained throughout my career is that Africa should never be approached as a single market. We are dealing with a continent of 54 countries, each with its own economic conditions, regulatory environment, consumer preferences, and level of gaming market maturity. Even within individual countries, player behaviour can differ significantly.
For example, South Africa has a relatively developed gaming ecosystem with established operators, strong brand competition, and a distinct regulatory structure.
Kenya is characterised by a highly mobile-driven consumer environment, with mobile money playing an important role in digital transactions.
Nigeria has a large and competitive betting ecosystem, with its own regulatory complexities, distribution structures, and customer behaviours.
Francophone African markets introduce additional considerations, including language, local business culture, payment infrastructure, and jurisdiction-specific regulatory requirements.
Therefore, our localisation strategy must go beyond translating game descriptions or promotional materials.
At Booming Games, we work with local operators and distribution partners to understand which products are most suitable for their audiences.
This includes evaluating game mechanics, player preferences, betting configurations, promotional opportunities, technical requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
South Africa, for example, involved local testing and certification before introducing our content to the market. That demonstrates the importance of adapting our market-entry approach to local requirements. I also believe that localisation is an ongoing process.
A game that performs strongly in one country may not necessarily deliver the same results elsewhere. We must continuously learn from market feedback and work with operators to improve our product positioning.
For me, successful localisation means respecting the uniqueness of each market while maintaining the global quality and integrity of our products.
The companies that understand this distinction will be better positioned for sustainable growth across Africa.
Mobile money is central to African digital commerce. How important are local payment ecosystems, connectivity and smartphone usage when Booming Games designs or prioritises its African product strategy?
These factors are extremely important because they directly influence how consumers access and experience digital gaming. One of the defining characteristics of Africa’s digital economy is the significant role mobile technology plays in everyday transactions.
In several markets, mobile money has helped expand access to digital financial services for consumers who may not rely heavily on traditional banking systems.
However, it is important to distinguish between the responsibilities of a game supplier and those of a gaming operator. As a B2B game supplier, Booming Games does not typically manage the end player’s deposits and withdrawals. Those functions are generally handled by the operator and its payment service providers.
Nevertheless, payment accessibility, smartphone capabilities, and internet connectivity directly affect how successfully our games can reach players.
For example, if a player accesses a gaming platform through an entry-level smartphone with limited data connectivity, the performance and accessibility of the gaming content become important considerations.
Likewise, operators serving customers who prefer smaller transaction values may require content with appropriate betting configurations. From a product strategy perspective, I believe we must continue prioritizing mobile compatibility, efficient game performance, intuitive interfaces, and accessible betting options and broader punters journey.
A well-designed game cannot deliver its full commercial potential if players encounter difficulties accessing the platform or completing transactions, in Africa, accessibility is not simply a technical requirement. It is a commercial advantage.
The suppliers and operators that understand how connectivity, payments, affordability, and user experience interact will be better positioned to serve the market effectively.
I believe this will become increasingly important as digital gaming expands into new consumer segments across the continent.
Which Booming Games products are currently resonating most strongly with African players, and what does player behaviour in Africa tell you about the type of games, mechanics and experiences that operators should be offering?
One of the interesting things about African gaming markets is that player preferences continue to evolve as more consumers become familiar with online casino entertainment.
From our portfolio, the Buffalo Hold and Win series, Burning Classic, Gold Gold Gold titles, and other games featuring familiar slot mechanics are important products in our African offering. Our wider portfolio also includes branded entertainment experiences, which offers an interesting connection between football culture and casino entertainment.
From my experience, several considerations are particularly relevant when evaluating gaming content for African audiences. The first is simplicity and accessibility.
Many African online gaming punters have historically entered the industry through sports betting. As operators introduce them to casino products, games with intuitive mechanics and straightforward gameplay can help make that transition easier.
The second is entertainment value Players want engaging experiences, recognizable features, and games that are enjoyable without requiring complicated explanations.
The third is affordability and betting flexibility. African markets have different spending patterns, and operators need content that accommodates a broad range of customer budgets.
Finally, I believe promotional relevance is important. Operators increasingly need suppliers that can support differentiated campaigns, game launches, and market-specific promotional activities.
My view is that African players should not be defined solely by low-stake gaming or simplified products. The continent has diverse consumer segments, and their preferences will continue evolving as the market matures. The challenge for operators is to understand those segments and offer the right combination of accessibility, entertainment, variety, and responsible gaming safeguards.
For Booming Games, that means continuing to work closely with our partners, learning from players’ behaviour, and ensuring that our portfolio remains relevant to the markets we serve.
Looking ahead, what is Booming Games’ ambition for Africa? Do you see the continent primarily as a market for distributing games, or could Africa eventually become a source of technology, talent, game development and innovation for the global iGaming industry?
I have always believed that Africa’s contribution to the global gaming industry should extend far beyond being a destination for internationally developed products.
Of course, distribution remains an important part of our immediate business strategy at Booming Games. We want to strengthen our relationships with existing partners, expand responsibly into additional regulated markets, increase our brand visibility, and ensure that our products deliver meaningful commercial value.
However, when I look at Africa over the next five to ten years, my vision is much broader.
I see a continent with enormous potential to contribute to the global gaming industry’s talent pool, technology development, product innovation, and commercial leadership. Africa already has a growing community of software developers, data analysts, designers, technology entrepreneurs, and digital professionals. What is required is greater investment, industry collaboration, structured talent development, and opportunities for these professionals to participate in the international gaming value chain.
I believe the industry must gradually move beyond a model where international companies develop products elsewhere and simply distribute them to African consumers.
For Booming Games, our immediate priority remains building a strong, sustainable, and commercially successful African business I also believe responsible gaming and regulatory development must remain central to this ambition.
A sustainable industry cannot be built solely on commercial growth. It requires consumer protection, credible regulatory frameworks, ethical business practices, and a commitment to the communities in which we operate.
My vision is for Africa to evolve from being primarily a market that consumes global gaming innovation into a market that actively contributes to creating it.
That is the Africa I believe in, and that is the direction I would like to see our industry pursue.
Ultimately, success should not be measured only by the number of games distributed across Africa or the revenue generated from the continent. It should also be measured by the partnerships we build, the talent we develop, the knowledge we contribute, and the sustainable value we create.
Africa should not simply participate in the future of global iGaming. Africa should help shape that future
