SBC and GRAF Forge Partnership to Advance African Gaming Regulation

SBC, a leading organiser of global gaming events, and the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) have established a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening regulatory dialogue and knowledge-sharing in Africa’s gaming sector. This collaboration spans support for both GRAF's 2026 Conference in Mozambique and the African Gaming Forum during SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon, placing a renewed emphasis on the regulatory discussions shaping Africa's diverse markets.

Partnership Focused on Regulatory Dialogue and Knowledge Exchange

The partnership aims to deepen regulatory engagement across Africa’s evolving gaming industry. Under this alliance, SBC will act as a supporter and event partner for the GRAF 2026 Conference, scheduled for 14–17 September at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre in Maputo, Mozambique. Conversely, GRAF will feature as an Event Partner at the African Gaming Forum, to be held during SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal.

GRAF’s participation in Lisbon includes hosting the panel GRAF: African Gaming under the microscope, part of the forum’s regulatory programme. This panel will spotlight senior representatives from African gaming authorities, offering a platform for frank discussions about current challenges, opportunities, and regulatory innovations affecting markets on the continent.

African Gaming Forum: Event Structure and Stakeholder Engagement

The African Gaming Forum is scheduled for 30 September 2026 at the Myriad Hotel, Lisbon, operating from 11:30 to 19:00 as an invite-only event. Attendees will include regulatory authorities, operators, and senior industry stakeholders. The forum’s central focus is to foster debate on the regulatory and commercial developments shaping Africa’s gaming landscape.

Confirmed speakers and participants already include:

• Moruntshi Kemorwale, CEO, Gambling Authority Botswana
• Lungile Dukwana, CEO, National Gambling Board of South Africa
• Emmanuel Siisi Quainoo, Acting Commissioner, Gaming Commission of Ghana
• Peter Maina Karimi, Director General, Kenya’s Gaming Regulatory Authority
• Muchanankhwaye Mpuluka, CEO, Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA)
• Bashir Are, CEO, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority

Additional regulatory representatives from other African jurisdictions are expected to join. The event will explore regulatory frameworks, market entry and expansion, taxation, and responsible gambling, reflecting the continent’s varied and rapidly developing regulatory landscape.

SBC’s Growing Engagement with African Markets

SBC is expanding its focus on Africa as an emerging growth region for the gaming industry. By partnering with GRAF, SBC intends to strengthen channels for knowledge-sharing and international collaboration, connecting African regulators with global industry stakeholders. Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, commented:

“Africa is not one gaming market. Every jurisdiction is developing at its own pace, with different regulatory frameworks, priorities and challenges. If we want to have meaningful conversations about the future of gaming across the continent, regulators need to be at the centre of them.”

Sojmark further emphasised the value of facilitating dialogue where regulators’ perspectives shape wider industry discussions, both during the Lisbon forum and Maputo conference.

GRAF's Mission and Bilateral Benefits of the Partnership

GRAF serves as a continent-wide platform for African regulators to collaborate, share knowledge, and collectively address regulatory obstacles. The new partnership with SBC amplifies this mission by connecting GRAF’s expertise with the international dialogue at SBC Summit 2026.

Reuben Mabutho Zwane, President of GRAF, summarised the significance of the collaboration:

“This partnership marks an important step in strengthening Africa’s voice within the global gaming conversation. It is essential that African regulators have a strong platform through which to exchange experience, engage internationally and help shape the conversations that increasingly influence the future of our industry.”

Zwane noted the reciprocal nature of the agreement, as SBC supports GRAF’s regional development, and GRAF contributes African regulatory perspectives to an international audience.

Wider Programme at SBC Summit 2026

The African Gaming Forum forms part of the wider SBC Summit 2026, which will host approximately 40,000 industry professionals at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and MEO Arena from 29 September to 1 October. The summit will address principal trends in regulation, responsible gambling, emerging jurisdictions, and tax developments, with the African Gaming Forum providing a unique focus on the continent’s regulatory trajectory.

Access to the African Gaming Forum is by invitation only, targeting decision-makers and senior stakeholders involved in the African gaming sector. Opportunities for broader industry networking and discussion will exist throughout the summit, encouraging further cross-border collaboration.

Significance for Stakeholders in Africa’s Gaming Industry

The collaborative commitment from SBC and GRAF to build bridges between African regulatory bodies and the international gaming industry offers practical avenues for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and shared development. Stakeholders can expect increased visibility for African regulatory priorities within the global conversation, alongside deeper engagement with both established and emerging jurisdictions.