The True Cost of Entering the African iGaming Market — Beyond Licensing

SOFTSWISS hosted a LinkedIn Live panel on 9 October 2026 titled “Not a Cheap Bet: The Economics of Launch in the African iGaming Market.” The session examined practical market-entry costs with South Africa as the primary case and concluded that licensing is only a fraction of total spend; most budgets go to localisation, certification, local staffing and payments. Panellists included the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator, operator Jabula Bets, consultancy Legends Gaming and Management Solutions, and SOFTSWISS.

Market reality: entering the African iGaming market requires country-level plans

Panellists were unanimous that Africa is a continent of separate markets rather than a single addressable region. The continent comprises 54 countries with different licensing rules, anti-money laundering requirements and player habits. An operator can run one platform across several countries technically, but must still deploy a separate compliance approach for each jurisdiction.

Payments underline those differences. Mobile money is dominant in Kenya; in South Africa players use vouchers, electronic funds transfers and cards; other markets rely on USSD and agent networks. Content libraries are similarly localised: a game set that resonates in Kenya will not necessarily work in West Africa or South Africa. SOFTSWISS's Head of Business Development in Africa, Mariia Halaida, summarised the product-side implication:

"If you want to operate in Kenya, you would have a different set of game providers than in West Africa or South Africa. So for us as a platform provider, aggregation provider, it’s crucial to offer our clients the content that would fit their needs and their markets. We don’t have just one offer for everyone out there. It’s completely personalised." — Mariia Halaida, Head of Business Development in Africa, SOFTSWISS

South Africa as an example: licensing is small; process and certification take time

South Africa showed how much work sits beyond the licence. Operators apply province by province, and each of the nine provincial authorities follows its own process. Approval times vary: applications can take three, six or 12 months, depending on the province and the complexity of the application.

After a licence is granted, operators still need product certification from a test lab and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Platforms must produce 21 market-specific regulatory reports. The panel noted that some operators licensed more than a year ago still have not launched because their software required additional development to meet regulator and test-lab demands.

"For international operators, don’t come to South Africa simply because the market is growing. Come because you understand the market, the regulatory environment, the consumer and the economics. And because you are prepared to invest for the long term." — Vusi Mtsweni, CEO, Mpumalanga Economic Regulator

Where operators spend money: a breakdown beyond the licence

Licensing itself is one of the smaller launch costs, the panel agreed. The larger items operators should budget for include:

• Localisation of content and UX for each market and language variant

• Certification and test-lab fees, including SABS in South Africa

• Establishing a local company and hiring staff

• Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) compliance in South Africa

• Technology scaling to handle real player volumes rather than minimum launch requirements

• Payments integrations tailored to market (mobile money, vouchers, USSD, EFTs)

• Ongoing marketing to compete with established local brands

Panel speakers warned that many operators budget for a platform that can launch but not one that performs under real player volumes. A slow platform, failed deposit or poor customer service can nullify marketing spend: the operator pays to acquire a player who then encounters a barrier and churns.

Practical advice: feasibility, partners and technology choices when entering African markets

The discussion focused on preparation. Recommended steps for operators were:

1. Build a business strategy first, then assess markets against that plan.

2. Commission a full feasibility study and carry out due diligence on every local partner.

3. Engage early with a local partner and an accredited test lab.

4. Plan budgets for certification, localisation and ongoing marketing rather than a single launch expense.

On technology, the panel emphasised that building a platform in-house can become a multi-year, multi-million project. Many operators therefore choose an experienced provider that can offer integrations for local payments and curated content. For vendors and platform providers, the implication is clear: clients will demand market-specific content aggregation, fast certification pathways and hardened performance under live volumes.

Commercial implications for suppliers and operators

Platform providers, aggregation services and vendors should prepare for demand in three areas: localisation services, payments integrations and compliance tooling. Operators entering Africa will prioritise suppliers that can provide a tested path to certification and the content mixes suited to particular markets.

Marketing was highlighted as a recurring cost that must run steadily. The panel noted that competing with established local brands requires ongoing investment; one-off launch campaigns are unlikely to secure long-term player bases.

Final considerations from the panel

The session framed African entry as a series of market-specific problems to be solved rather than a single continental project. Licensing opens the door, but the real work — payments, certification, local teams, compliance reports and market-appropriate content — determines whether an operator launches successfully and sustains growth.

The panel's counsel for entrants was consistent: invest in market understanding, plan for certification timelines, partner with local experts and budget for ongoing marketing and technology performance rather than treating the licence as the primary cost.