The role of GRAF in shaping the unified regulatory landscape for online casinos in Africa

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Most countries in Africa have regulatory bodies that monitor, regulate or sanction gambling companies. One such body is the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF), which was created to protect the general public through the enforcement of regulatory statutes acceptable and applicable to each member state. Without entities such as this, it would only be a matter of time before mismanagement and invasion of privacy would spread through various gambling platforms.

Leaders, operators and players must be aware of what GRAF entails and how this regulator can help maintain lawfulness in the iGaming industry. Knowing this will keep stakeholders abreast of the best guidelines, standardization and improvement of regulations of gaming and betting experiences across African countries. Therefore, this post aims to discuss the role of GRAF in shaping the unified regulatory landscape for online casinos in Africa.

What is GRAF?

The proliferation of online casinos in Africa prompted regulatory agencies to create rules that will protect players and operators. These laws were also enacted to detect, prevent and sanction criminal activities within the various gambling platforms. Thus, the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) is a regulatory body developed to protect Africans through the enforcement of regulatory statutes, and build awareness around risk¹.

The major goal of the regulatory organ is to ensure that Africa and the sub-Saharan continent at large are not converted into a hub for subverting gaming technologies². So far, the gaming platform regulator has implemented rules aimed at minimizing gambling addiction as well as providing awareness and adequate counselling to affected persons.

However, ensuring compliance wasn’t easy at inception, partly due to the vast size of the continent and the corruption already ravaging some countries. So, to up the fight against gambling crimes in Africa, GRAF deemed it necessary to develop a sub-committee to tackle emerging issues related to illegal gambling and awareness, training and technology. This was possible thanks to collaboration from member states and strategic plans set in place by the subcommittees to meet individual countries.

Aims and objectives of the Africa Gaming Forum

The overriding mission of GRAF is to accomplish predefined goals while striving to harness efficiencies in enforcement, effective administration and gambling regulation across various regions³. In addition, the body aims to execute minimum standards and norms agreed upon by the member nations. However, enforcing such a noble mission entails broadening its scope to protect players from unfair gambling practices.

GRAF is not without an objective; the body has indeed set out to implement attainable objectives. The forum has become adept at harnessing its experience in gambling regulations and enforcement of gambling laws to safeguard citizens and meet their highly vulnerable reputations. It has zero tolerance for corruption, money laundering and mismanagement of funds within the industry.

Achievements of the Africa Gaming Forum

In February 2003, GRAF held its inaugural conference, which marked a significant achievement in the organization’s objectives in Limpopo – a province of South Africa – and Africa at large. Over the years, top countries such as Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) have all had the opportunity of hosting the GRAF conference⁴. It is at this conference that member states vote for bills that are suitable to ensure smooth operations of the gambling industry. Each country is entitled to one vote at the Annual General Meeting and GRAF meetings.

Gambling enterprises across Africa aren’t restricted from having a say in proceedings; the forum is open to interested parties. So far, the regulatory body has been able to set gaming regulations in African countries that include Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and others.

Through this, they’ve been able to mandate gambling regulators across major countries to execute their duties following the latest requirements, rules and laws. This is with the hope that these regulators will help promote efficient service delivery among online gambling platforms while cultivating a good reputation in the industry. Likewise, the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum endeavours to be an effective regulatory body that promotes a sound gaming campaign in Africa and the world at large.

How GRAF protects online casinos in Africa

The Gaming Regulators Africa Forum has a research committee that is highly sensitized on the terms of reference, education and training, and research maps that include all gaming and gambling activities. Similarly, GRAF uses intensive research in identifying the best gaming enterprises; those working with state-of-the-art security features crucial to earning significant profits and maintaining order in the rapidly evolving online casino industry. These functions help protect gambling platforms on the African continent by ensuring that owners of gambling platforms follow the standards outlined by the regulatory body.

The role of GRAF in protecting online casinos in Africa

Here are some of the roles GRAF plays in protecting online casino players and operators in Africa:

Preventing underage gambling: Like in most Western countries, gambling addiction is a big challenge, and Africa is no exception. This disorder most frequently affects youngsters, so the minimum acceptable age for participating in online casinos is 18. Therefore, the GRAF aims to check a user’s age to ensure they’re allowed to gamble. Underage individuals caught in the act are banned immediately. This approach helps reduce the number of people negatively affected.

Fraud prevention: Numerous criminal activities, including terrorist financing and money laundering, are connected to iGaming. Unsurprisingly, regulatory authorities liaise with operators to counter gambling-related crimes. GRAF also helps in educating them about their customers, while verifying whether they’ve previously been engaged in unlawful acts.

Identifying self-excluded individuals: As previously discussed, reducing gambling addiction rates is top on the agenda in Africa and abroad. To some extent, online casinos have helped implement numerous mechanisms to identify and assist problem gamblers. Self-exclusion is one of the most effective methods, blocking those affected from all gaming and betting platforms. However, passionate and persistent gamblers often find ways around the ban and join other platforms. In this case, GRAF plays a huge part: if an individual is self-excluded in a particular jurisdiction, they won’t be allowed to join gaming sites in other jurisdictions.

How Gaming Regulators Africa Forum is driving industry evolution

The African casino industry is growing, reaching a stage where it serves as an important source of internally generated revenue (IGR). This progress can be mostly credited to the regulatory frameworks and laws established by authorities across the different African regions. These regulations not only protect consumers but also guarantee a consistent stream of income and support helpful initiatives such as ‘Good Cause’.

Historically, the industry was loosely regulated, and as a result of this, its full potential wasn’t realized until recent years. Countries such as Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Angola and Botswana, among others, have emerged as key players in this dynamic sector. In Nigeria, for example, the online gaming industry has experienced rapid growth, driven by a burgeoning youth population and increased access to the internet and smartphones that allow access to virtual versions of popular formats like sports betting and lotteries. Ultimately, this has paved the way for emerging platforms like esports to thrive⁵.

Economic effects of gaming regulations in Africa

Ghana’s online casino industry has experienced significant traction, with many local and international gambling companies diving into the scene to meet the growing demand for diverse gaming experiences. Regulators in the West African country recently legalized online betting, further boosting revenues. The Ghana Gaming Commission revealed that the industry has over 33 licensed sports betting facilities and more than 24 casino operators.

For nearly three decades, South Africa has been known for being Africa’s hub of online gaming innovation and technology, attracting both local and global investors keen on leveraging its vibrant market. With a revenue of over $47 billion annually, the industry experienced a growth spurt post-pandemic, marking a surge to 53% (from 27%)⁶.

In Uganda and Angola, although still in the development stages, the online gambling industry shows promising signs of improvement, driven by the combination of local entrepreneurship and foreign investment. As a matter of fact, gambling in Uganda currently generates an annual revenue of over $700 million. The sector has experienced 200% growth in the 2022/23 financial year and has blossomed to more than 54 licensed operators⁷. Angola, meanwhile, is on a gaming growth trajectory of 20% annually, culminating in a gross market share of over $200 million.

Conclusion

The Gaming Regulators Africa Forum plays a vital role in governing gaming and betting in Africa. The body helps in protecting consumers, shaping the industry’s growth and maximizing revenue generation. While the gaming industry offers massive potential for economic growth, addressing the existing challenges through harmonization, collaborative efforts and effective regulation is key. Striking a balance between ensuring player protection and fostering innovation can help Africa build a thriving gaming and gambling industry that contributes to both its social wellbeing and economic growth.