ICE Barcelona: A Crucial Hub for African Gaming Regulators, Says Peter Kesitilwe

Peter Kesitilwe, CEO of the African iGaming Alliance (AiA), has highlighted the importance of the ICE Conference as a key platform where international stakeholders and regulators meet. He emphasized the importance of understanding the local gambling framework in Africa for the success of international brands. Kesitilwe noted that Africa is not a single market and that countries differ in language, income, payment behavior, sporting preferences, infrastructure, and regulation.

Kesitilwe explained that brands entering the iGaming market in Africa must understand local economics, such as taxation and payment costs, currency exposure, and compliance, to succeed. He warned against assuming that a successful European product and marketing strategy can simply be transferred to Africa. Kesitilwe highlighted that ICE is the biggest gaming technology event on the international stage, allowing regulators to engage directly with tech, business models, and risks they are being asked to regulate.

Kesitilwe encouraged regulators attending ICE to examine what has worked elsewhere and what has produced unintended consequences. He believes that having AiA present locally, along with other gaming regulators and industry stakeholders, presents a good opportunity to have all parties involved explain their priorities. Kesitilwe is joining as one of the first 20 industry leaders and decision-makers to be confirmed for the ICE Conference program.