Africa
Why your next million players are in MEA and Turkey, and how to access them
![Why your next million players are in MEA and Turkey, and how to access them](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/onut-tpay.jpg)
Onur Ergüney – Vice President Global Partnership – Gaming & E-Sport, TPAY MOBILE
COVID 19 has been the catalyst for the biggest transformation to people’s lives in recent history. Little else has brought on such seismic shifts in the way people work, play, communicate and live, since the creation of smartphones themselves.
The fourth industrial revolution has arrived faster than anyone could have predicted, especially in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Turkey. This combined region has a population of over 1.6 billion people, a fast-expanding middle class, and, through the power of mobile technology, is more connected than ever.
A long-standing barrier for scaled-up mobile games distribution in the region – the lack of access to banking infrastructure for subscriptions and the purchasing of games and in-app-purchases (IAPs) – is falling fast. By 2025, 834 million people across MEA will be mobile internet users, and through direct carrier billing (DCB) technology and eMoney wallets, they will have the freedom to spend on gaming like never before.
Untapped opportunity
A relatively untapped marketplace of a billion+ potential players is powering up and set to flip your revenue forecasts upside down if you play your cards right. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for instance, the games industry is currently valued at $4.5 billion according to Frost & Sullivan. That may be just 4% of the global total, but, it is the world’s fastest-growing region, with a year-on-year growth rate of 25%. On a grander scale, MENA makes up 80% of this growth whilst the other 20% is amassed in Sub Saharan Africa. According to one prediction from GSMA, the region will count for 709 million individual SIM connections by 2025.
In other words, Mobile is everything across the MEA and Turkey, and this should be explored as your next frontier of growth. However, you need to know how to access it.
Access is key, and access is different
Accessing these new markets isn’t simply a case of re-branding what has worked in the past. Your games may well be attractive in these new markets but the systems and processes that power them, and importantly, monetise them, won’t be the same. There are different rules and regulations for advertising, for example, and variations on what purchases or transactions do and don’t constitute gambling. Direct debits for app stores or card payments for IAPs are not common practice in these territories. Across the 20+ countries that make up MEA and Turkey, there is a rich tapestry of cultural differences that result in different ways of purchasing digital goods like games.
Establish partnerships to access these players
To turn your players into payers, the best advice I can give is to establish strategic partnerships – find experts on the ground that can work with you. You are no longer just a games publisher, with your partner network you become a FinTech, a games publisher, a games developer and even an evangelist for a new world of mobile gaming. Ecosystems are everything.
The global language is APIs, not Esperanto
Each territory has its quirks and opportunities, and only by having knowledgeable inside help will you be able to truly navigate the differences in approaching sales and distributions of your titles. Understanding the common services in territories is key for traction, an example being that the Middle East has widely adopted DCB (Direct Carrier Billing) for mobile payments and subscriptions in recent years, whereas mobile wallets are the transaction tool of choice in Subsaharan Africa.
Games developers want simple integrations that cover the back-end systems. If you find the team that can provide that, they will keep up with evolving regulations in new territories, keeping your games online. This allows you to do what you do best: making high quality, desirable games.
Games publishers expect great user flows. What makes games more interesting than other e-commerce platforms is that they are live systems. The user makes purchase decisions in real-time, while remaining within the game. This is also what creates complexity when it comes to transactions, but there is an answer. The key is to integrate a seamless payment flow within the game, minimising player disruption.
Find an ecosystem that works across borders. One thing that is global is the API. If you want to successfully break into these emerging markets, you need to build a partnership network that understands the intricacies of these technologies.
Should you wait?
Simply put, no.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest-growing market of all for mobile-penetration, it would be an oversight to not properly explore the MEA and Turkey as a key element of future games monetisation for the future.
MEA and Turkey host a relatively untapped market for games publishing and eSports monetisation, not to mention a fast-growing pool of local influencers – now is the time to make inroads into the gaming sector in such markets. It has been said that the early bird catches the worm – this wisdom is just as true today.
The previously non-existent infrastructure required to sell and monetise mobile games has been replaced. Suddenly, the opportunity is there for the taking. Venture into these new territories, and the partnerships you form now will help grow your company and its market share exponentially, by creating opportunities to engage new gamers. Whilst boosting your business into the next 50 years, you have an opportunity to entertain many millions of people who are fast to become your next loyal, player base.
Africa
CSA Appoints IMG ARENA as Official Data Supplier and Betting Live Streaming Partner
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/6-11.jpg)
Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced IMG ARENA, OpenBet’s sports data and streaming products arm, as its exclusive official Cricket South Africa Data Supplier and Betting Live Streaming Partner.
IMG ARENA, in partnership with CricViz, will collect detailed data, both live and in-venue, for CSA’s domestic and international matches spanning a wide array of competitions, from bilateral series to domestic leagues.
Data for international matches will be gathered across Men’s and Women’s Test, ODI, and T20I formats, while domestic matches will see data collection for Men’s 4-day, 50 Over and T20, as well as the Women’s 50 Over and T20 formats. The data will then be distributed by IMG ARENA to more than 460 regulated sportsbook operators worldwide. IMG ARENA will also distribute live streams of CSA matches to the global betting industry.
Mark Wrigley, Vice President & Head of Rights at IMG ARENA, said: “IMG ARENA is serving fans and sportsbook operators across a wide breadth of sports and markets around the world. Alongside CricViz, we’re excited to partner with Cricket South Africa to bring fans the ultimate sportsbook experience incorporating reliable, informed data and live streaming.”
CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki, said: “Our partnership with IMG ARENA is poised to revolutionise the way detailed data is collected, both live and in-venue. This collaborative endeavour will introduce South African cricket to a fresh betting audience, and we are extremely excited about this opportunity. We are collectively shaping the future of sports data collection and broadcasting, setting new standards of excellence in the industry.”
The deal further diversifies IMG ARENA’s portfolio of data and streaming rights, adding CSA to its breadth of sports properties including soccer, tennis, golf, basketball, mixed martial arts and more.
Africa
Booming Games Enters South African Market in Partnership with Intelligent Gaming
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Booming-Games-Enters-South-African-Market-in-Partnership-with-Intelligent-G_20240711_151524_0000.png)
Booming Games, a leading slot provider, is extremely pleased to announce the launch of their highly immersive games for the South Africa online gaming market.
The South African online gaming market is renowned as one of the world’s most exciting emerging regulated markets. Booming Games, in collaboration with Intelligent Gaming South Africa, has successfully completed localization testing and certification. The company extends its gratitude to Intelligent Gaming for their dedicated efforts in helping achieve this milestone. With this accomplishment, Booming Games eagerly anticipates distributing its innovative and engaging games across the entire Intelligent Gaming network.
Solomon Godwin, Head of Africa at Booming Games, said: “South Africa is key to our development goals, so it’s exciting to get on board with a partner such as Intelligent Gaming. Their insight and experience in South Africa are essential, and we’re thoroughly looking forward to working with them”.
Marc Plaxton Harrison, Managing Director at Intelligent Gaming, said: “It’s such an exciting suite of games, and our network is very excited about the launch. In the coming weeks, our network of over 30 popular operators will be able to offer fantastic games like Buffalo Hold and Win, Burning Classics Go Wild, Gold Gold Gold, TNT Bonanza, Cash Pig and Flaming Chilies”.
Africa
Springbok Casino Showcases Winter Survival Strategies of South Africa’s Wildlife in ‘Mzansi’s Winter Wonders’ Feature
![Springbok Casino Showcases Winter Survival Strategies of South Africa’s Wildlife in ‘Mzansi’s Winter Wonders’ Feature](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SB-July-feature-image.png)
This July, Springbok Casino invites all players to celebrate ‘Mzansi’s Winter Wonders’, a tribute to South Africa’s incredible wildlife and their unique adaptations to the winter season. From gentle elephants to resilient rhinos, these stories highlight the incredible behaviors and survival strategies of ten animals during the colder months.
Lion dads are the epitome of relaxation, often sleeping up to 20 hours a day. However, when danger threatens their pride, these seemingly lazy kings become fierce protectors. During the colder months, they rely on strong family bonds within the pride, while lionesses take advantage of the longer winter nights to stalk their prey more effectively.
With the vegetation thinning out, Elephants rely on their excellent memory and social knowledge to locate resources.
African Penguins are resilient birds who rely on their dense feathers to keep warm as they swim in the chilly waters hunting for fish.
Relying on their strong sense of smell, Rhinos spend the winter months locating the last remnants of edible plants and can often be seen visiting waterholes more frequently, ensuring they stay hydrated.
With less foliage, spotting prey becomes easier, and Eagles take full advantage with their keen eyesight. Eagle pairs use the winter to strengthen their bonds and are often seen soaring together and performing aerial displays.
Meerkats will dig deeper and more complex burrows to avoid the chill. Their intricate tunnel systems provide warmth and safety, allowing them to huddle together during cold nights.
The feature also highlights how Black-backed Jackals, kudus, Vervet Monkeys, and Baboons alter their foraging patterns and habits during the winter months.
To honour South Africa’s resilient wildlife, for the month of July, Springbok Casino is offering players 25 free spins on its new Cosmic Crusade slot.
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