Melbet Partners & Affiliates CMO Anastasiia Shcherbyna chats to SBC News about the sports betting landscape across Africa. Shcherbyna notes that, as a very diverse continent, Africa should be treat with hyperlocalisation, while adding that community driven content wins out in a region where betting is a ‘part of social life’.

SBC: Africa is often touted as a big growth region for online sports betting  – what makes it stand out? How do player demographics shape the opportunities there?

Anastasiia Shcherbyna: Africa is a continent with a unique dynamic, where demographics, technology, and everyday culture create a completely distinctive environment for online betting. A combination of several factors shapes the region’s uniqueness.

To begin with, the growth of digitalisation coincides with a demographic boom. In countries like Cameroon, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, more than 70% of the population is under 30 years old.

The main demographic driver is age. Over 60% of Africa’s population is under 30. This generation, having grown up with mobile phones in hand, is open to technology and actively engaged in the digital economy. In countries like Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, there is a high level of mobile penetration: more than 80% of users access the internet via smartphones, bypassing traditional PC infrastructure.

Sports betting in Africa is not just a form of entertainment – it’s part of everyday social life. Football is the undisputed leader, with the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and local tournaments like the CAF Champions League generating huge interest.

SBC: How does Melbet operate in African markets and interact with the player base?

AS: In Africa, we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach – we operate through deep localisation. In Cameroon, for example, we place special emphasis on mobile payment solutions (Orange Money, MTN Mobile Money); in Côte d’Ivoire, on transparent terms and French-language adaptation; and in Senegal, on supporting local creatives and working with influencers.

Our offers are always tailored to real economic conditions: small deposits, a focus on bonuses, and high-quality mobile optimisation for Android devices (iOS is rarely used, but we still pay due attention to it).

We are building a vibrant community, both online and offline, by regularly running challenges and giveaways, collaborating with local media, and fostering long-term relationships with partners.

SBC: What marketing strategies do you utilise in African markets to resonate with local players?

AS: In African markets, the key to effective promotion is adapting to the local context. We build our strategy around three core principles: trust, recognition, and accessibility.

First and foremost, we use visually simple and clear creatives that feature imagery familiar to the target audience – sports symbols, local athletes, and cultural references. In Cameroon and Senegal, for example, storylines related to football, street culture, and regional festivals work especially well. All of this is delivered through intuitive banners, stories, and mobile-optimised landing pages.

The second focus is direct communication. We actively develop our presence on social media and messaging platforms – primarily WhatsApp and Facebook, as this is where the audience engages with the brand in real time. In this format, challenges, mini-games, and educational content that explains how to place a bet or claim a bonus are particularly effective.

The third pillar of our strategy is engagement through trust. We leverage real user reviews, partner recommendations, user-generated content, and collaborations with local micro-influencers. This approach works especially well in Senegal, where word-of-mouth plays a crucial role in decision-making.

Finally, our entire marketing funnel is built around localisation – not just in terms of language, but also in the logic of communication. We don’t simply translate text into French; we adapt the messaging to fit the mindset of each specific country, ensuring that the conversation with the audience feels natural, honest, and trustworthy.

SBC: What type of betting content do African players like to use the most, and how does this reinforce your strategy?

AS: First and foremost – international football: the Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1. These are absolute favorites in Cameroon and Senegal. FIFA/virtual sports betting is also popular, and when it comes to slots, crash games like Aviator, Crash, and Under & Over clearly dominate. It shapes our product strategy: we promote offers that enhance these specific mechanics, introduce gamification elements (such as Punch Challenge or Spin & Win), adapt landing pages to specific sports or game types, and strengthen creatives using game-related visuals. The content must not only be easy to understand but also spark an emotional response, especially given the rich and passionate sports culture.

SBC: How do you localise your content to suit the players in each individual market rather than having one “Africa strategy”?

AS: For us, Africa is not a single market, but dozens of unique ecosystems. In Côte d’Ivoire, language (French), transparent bonuses, and brand recognition are key. In Cameroon, we adapt landing pages for mobile networks, include offers compatible with Wave and MTN, and use creatives that reflect the local vibe. In Senegal, strong sports visuals are essential, and video creatives with trust elements (interviews, user reviews, gamification) deliver high CTR. 

Every offer, landing page, banner, and campaign undergoes local adaptation in terms of language, visuals, mindset, and payment methods. One-size-fits-all doesn’t work – what works here are customised funnels and blended strategies tailored to each market. 

SBC: What are the biggest challenges of operating in African markets, and how do you overcome them?

AS: 

1. Low financial inclusion. In some regions, less than 30% of people have a bank account. We address this through mobile payment solutions and by keeping the entry threshold for games and betting as low as possible.
2. Distrust in online services. We overcome this through transparent communication, clear landing pages, local ambassadors, and strong customer support. Building trust in the brand is crucial in African countries. For people on the continent, personal recommendations from friends and family matter far more than a company’s global reputation.
3. Young and unstable legislation. We closely monitor regulatory changes, work with local legal experts, and adapt our models (CPA/RS) to regional requirements. It’s not enough to just “enter the market” – it’s vital to maintain an ongoing dialogue with users and partners. 

SBC: What is the biggest trend in African markets that readers should be aware of in the next 12 months?

AS: We highlight several key trends:

• Growth of mobile betting. Currently, 89% of all bets in Cameroon are placed via smartphones, and this trend is expected to continue strengthening.
• Simple game mechanics will reinforce their position. Crash games and fast gaming are becoming the standard for engaging new users. They are easy to understand, offer big multipliers and most importantly, new variations of these quick games are constantly emerging, attracting more and more players.
• Local payments. Wave, Orange Money, and MTN remain critically important for player retention. Based on what we see now, this won’t change – the trend toward local payment solutions will stay strong. Webmasters need to learn how to work with these systems and become familiar with them.
• Engagement through a combination of social networks and messengers. WhatsApp is becoming not just a support channel but a full-fledged funnel for closing deals.
• Localisation. The winner is not the one who just offers a product, but the one who speaks the user’s language. Therefore, it’s essential to focus on building strong partnerships, earning a reputation and aligning with local values, cultural traits and codes.