INSIGHT
SARAFINA
WOLDE
GABRIEL
is VP of strategy at Paysafe
Group’s Income Access. She
focuses on growing Income Access
and driving the evolution of the
company’s suite of products and
services and has over a decade of
igaming industry experience.
Mobile and in-play betting
Two important product features that
any brand striving for success within
the African market should be mindful
of are mobility and flexibility. The
significance of these features, however,
extends beyond gaming experiences
to reflect broader social traits and
routines inherent in the daily lives
of those engaging with the product.
Given these influences, in-play betting
through mobile devices serves as
an optimal solution, aligned with
numerous market factors.
An April 2018 report entitled
‘Africa – Mobile Network Operators
and MVNOs’, which was produced
by telecommunications research and
consultancy company BuddeComm,
offers timely insights on the current
state of Africa’s mobile market. For
example, because of sub-par fixed-line
infrastructure across many regional
markets “between 95% and 99% of
all internet connections” are through
mobile internet.
The report also highlights the
degree of sophistication with which
consumers manage their mobile
subscriptions, with 99% of all
subscribers using prepaid accounts
that are more economically viable
than standard contract plans. As a
larger percentage of the continent’s
population is now able to afford
mobile services, it has “led to a steady
increase in the subscriber base”.
These points further inform relevant
stakeholders of the uniqueness of
the region’s mobile market and the
importance of flexibility.
Moreover, not only does this make
in-play betting well-suited for Africa
but it also positions it to benefit from
growing global demand. Revisiting
the earlier comparison with the US,
a market still in its in-play infancy,
it will be important to monitor
ongoing developments, particularly in
technology, regulation and M&A.
From a global M&A perspective,
it was only in early October that
Scientific Games, as a follow-up to
its previously announced partnership
with Caesars Entertainment, acquired
Don Best, a supplier of real-time
betting data and pricing for North
American sporting events. On the
tech side, the impact of data science
“Affiliates are situated
to be vital partners
and resources as
individual brands
and the market each
continue to grow”
and machine learning are already
having a notable impact on product
development; the continuation of that
trend seems all but inevitable.
The influence of similar
undertakings and initiatives will
ultimately impact the in-play gaming
experience of end customers in
African markets. The question is at
what rate. As the ecosystem is built
for those with an entrepreneurial
drive, an infusion of inspired problem-
solving and product development at
the local level is also expected. It’s at
this level that strategists, developers
and even regulators possess a more
comprehensive understanding of
market intricacies and how in-play can
engage segmented audiences through
unique selling points, tailored user
experiences and an appreciation of the
diverse behaviours of those audiences.
The cross-section where affiliate
marketing and mobile in-play meet is
relatively easy to identify. In our 2018
survey, 75% of respondents said that
they have a mobile-optimised site, with
21% of those having a complementary
app. When assessing the online
marketing acumen of these affiliates
alongside the grassroots innovation
inherent to the African market, we see
that lucrative collaborations are not
only possible – they’re inevitable.
iGB Affiliate Issue 72 DEC 2018 / JAN 2019
51