Africa has been positioned as iGaming’s “next major growth region” for years, but few people explain what that actually looks like on the ground. When I spoke with Sasha Boerma, Commercial Director Africa at Split The Pot, the conversation revealed a far more layered reality — one shaped by cultural nuance, infrastructure gaps, and a player base unlike any other.

Sasha’s connection to the region is personal. Born and raised in Cape Town, she entered iGaming almost by accident, moving from digital marketing into building affiliate sites and eventually launching an online casino. It was the first role where every skill she’d gathered over two decades finally aligned. “Everything clicked,” she said. “And I became addicted to watching the numbers.” That mix of curiosity and cultural understanding now shapes her work across the continent.

Sasha is clear: the biggest misconception is assuming Africa behaves like a single region. South Africa alone has 11 official languages and wildly different income brackets. Nigeria’s players lean toward high‑volatility behaviour, while South Africa mirrors more European patterns. Even within one country, the differences are dramatic — from township youth who prefer crash games to high‑income bettors who behave more like traditional sportsbook players.

European operators often enter the market with minimum deposits or offers that make sense in tier‑one regions but are completely misaligned with local realities. “A €20 minimum deposit is a week’s wage for many South Africans,” Sasha said. “It shows you didn’t do your homework.”

Unlike Europe or North America, Africa doesn’t have decades of published gambling research. Most insights come from trial‑and‑error or from people on the ground. Sasha sees this as one of the biggest gaps — and one of the biggest opportunities.

She shared the story of an affiliate who failed in Africa, then rebuilt their strategy by hiring local teams in each country. Only then did performance improve. “They realised they didn’t know what they didn’t know,” she said.

Her own approach involves digging into academic journals, behavioural studies, and cultural research — even when it’s not directly about gambling. “There’s always something useful if you look deeply enough.”

Sasha’s stance on localisation is firm: “Please don’t use Google Translate or ChatGPT. It will get it wrong.”

True localisation means understanding:

• cultural references
• income levels
• device limitations
• payment habits
• preferred game mechanics

Split The Pot’s Taxi game is a good example — a game built around Johannesburg’s taxi culture, instantly recognisable to local players. “It feels familiar,” she said. “That’s why it works.”

Most African players use older Android devices with limited storage and expensive data. Lightweight games, simple interfaces, and low‑data modes aren’t optional — they’re essential.

And the payment landscape is unlike anything in Europe. Sasha described vendors sitting under umbrellas with card machines, selling prepaid vouchers to wage workers on Fridays. “That’s the payment provider,” she said. “Not the systems we’re used to.”

If players can’t deposit, even the best casino won’t survive.

Digital advertising matters, but in many African regions, traditional marketing still wins. Sasha described operators hiring musicians or influencers, placing them on trucks, and driving through townships while promoters hand out flyers and teach people how to play.

It’s direct, personal, and effective.

Meanwhile, in countries like Nigeria and Ghana, Google has restricted payment‑related advertising, forcing operators to rely on alternative channels. Social media, community events, and face‑to‑face engagement often outperform digital campaigns.

“Africa didn’t have the same shift to online life that Europe did,” Sasha said. “People still shop in markets. Marketing has to reflect that.”

Africa is full of opportunity — but only for operators willing to respect its complexity. Sasha’s message is clear: success requires research, cultural understanding, and products built for real player behaviour, not assumptions.

“It’s not a shortcut market,” she said. “But for those who put in the effort, the rewards are enormous.”