African iGaming Alliance Unveils Inaugural Africa Safer Gambling Week

Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes on a new campaign to unite regulators, industry stakeholders around player protection, responsible gambling and public awareness

The African iGaming Alliance (AiA), in collaboration with gambling regulators, industry associations and other stakeholders across the continent, is set to host the inaugural Africa Safer Gambling Week from September 7 to 11, 2026, in a coordinated effort to promote safer gambling, strengthen player protection and raise public awareness across African gambling markets.

Held under the campaign banner #PlaySafeAfrica, the five-day initiative will bring together regulators, licensed operators, industry associations, responsible gambling organisations and other stakeholders around a shared objective: ensuring that the rapid development of Africa’s gambling industry is matched by stronger consumer protection and responsible gambling practices.

The initiative, supported by the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority led by Mr Bashir Are, comes as gambling markets across Africa continue to evolve, driven by increased digital connectivity, mobile technology and the expansion of online gaming platforms. Against this backdrop, organisers say safer gambling must remain central to the industry’s growth.

Africa Safer Gambling Week will feature a coordinated programme of regulatory and industry engagement, public education, community outreach and digital awareness activities across participating jurisdictions.

Activities will include a formal launch and media engagement, a five-day public awareness campaign, community outreach initiatives and a continental webinar designed to facilitate dialogue among regulators and industry stakeholders.

Each day of the campaign will focus on a different dimension of safer gambling, including responsible gambling, understanding and setting personal limits, using responsible gambling tools, preventing underage gambling, and highlighting the risks associated with illegal and unlicensed gambling operators.

The Chief Executive Officer of the African iGaming Alliance, Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe, said the industry’s commitment to protecting consumers must match its growth.

“As Africa’s gambling industry continues to grow, player protection must grow with it. Africa Safer Gambling Week brings regulators and industry together around a shared commitment to safer gambling and stronger consumer protection,” stated Kesitilwe.

Kesitilwe added that consumers should have access to the information and tools needed to make informed, responsible decisions.

“We fully support consumers having the tools and information they need to gamble responsibly. This week, like every week, is about ensuring our customers’ safety,” Kesitilwe explained.

Also speaking, Olabimpe Akingba, board member of the African iGaming Alliance and Head of Responsible Gaming at pawaTech, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of the Alliance’s commitment to cross-border collaboration on player protection.

“At the African iGaming Alliance (AiA), we have been committed to moving beyond conversations about collaboration across African jurisdictions towards meaningful action,” Akingba stated. “And what better place to demonstrate that commitment than through player protection?”

She added, “Africa Safer Gambling Week is our collaboration in action.”

According to the organisers, participating jurisdictions will receive coordinated campaign materials while retaining the flexibility to adapt public messaging and activities to their respective regulatory environments, communities and local realities.

A key component of the campaign will be encouraging consumers to use licensed and regulated gambling operators. The organisers said illegal and unlicensed gambling can weaken responsible gambling safeguards, consumer protection mechanisms and regulatory oversight, potentially leaving consumers with fewer avenues for protection when problems occur.

The AiA stressed that effective player protection cannot be achieved by a single stakeholder group, noting that sustained collaboration among regulators, licensed operators, trade associations and responsible gambling organisations will be essential as African gambling markets mature.

Beyond the 2026 campaign, the Alliance intends to establish Africa Safer Gambling Week as an annual platform to strengthen cooperation, share best practices, and maintain safer gambling and player protection as key priorities in Africa’s evolving gambling policy landscape.

Through #PlaySafeAfrica, the AiA and its partners hope to build greater public understanding of responsible gambling while encouraging a culture in which consumer protection remains integral to the sustainable development of Africa’s gaming and betting industry.