Steven Spartinos, co-founder and co-CEO of Kiron Interactive, has backed Clarion Gaming’s extension of the ICE brand to Africa this year, claiming that ICE Africa is the international B2B event to look out for in light of the continent’s sports betting, mobile and industry-wide opportunities.
 
Discussing the benefits of having a dedicated show in Africa, Spartinos said: “It is evident that Africa is fast becoming a hub for sports betting and ICE Africa presents a foundation for what has the potential to become a key event in the global gambling industry. The continent can present certain challenges, one size does not necessarily fit all when it comes to the African market, however, the potential for success for sports betting is increasingly tangible. We look forward to the opportunities ICE Africa may open and are eager to be a part of the show’s development as its popularity grows.”
 
Kiron Interactive, which specialises in supplying services for web, mobile, and land-based sportsbook and casino operators on five continents, has a core focus on Virtual games in the region, as well as mobile and sports betting, which Spartinos believes requires country-by-country knowledge to truly tap into. He explained: “Africa is a highly dynamic market and having insight into virtual, mobile and sports betting components will be beneficial. Local understanding of what makes the punter tick in different countries is also key. Africa is a large continent with diverse tastes and needs on a country by country basis. It is therefore imperative for us to understand what ingredients are required to deliver a tailored and localised recipe that is beneficial to operators in each of the key countries that we supply.”
 
“Retail is still the most established platform within Africa and is likely to remain this way for some time,” he continued. “However, the very high mobile penetration and continued evolution in technology makes mobile and online delivery of products and services increasingly important on the continent. The growth here is, by far, out stripping that of retail. The African market is very different to traditional developed markets, and it is these differences which make it such an interesting environment to operate in.”
 
Following their support of last year’s Gaming Africa event, Kiron Interactive will return to the inaugral ICE Africa in October following Clarion’s decision to make the continent the first place its flagship brand has extended to, to which Spartinos commented ‘why not Africa’.
“We are proud to have been the founding exhibitor in 2017. We saw then what potential this show holds and look forward to being part of the growth as it becomes more and more popular. The continent is a must have territory, and after extensive research Clarion have seen the potential of ‘putting pen to paper’ so to speak by launching ICE Africa. When it comes to working across Africa, operators are not only faced with a number of operational challenges, but also the challenge of localising and differentiating their product offering to fit the African landscape.”
 
He concluded: “ICE Africa will certainly assist is improving knowledge sharing around such challenges and assist in finding the right solutions. In doing so, it will assist in demystifying the African market and making it easier to achieve success in these otherwise unfamiliar markets.”
 
ICE Africa will comprise an extensive learning agenda, world class training and staff development modules, products and services from leading gaming brands and extensive networking opportunities. Supporting partners for ICE Africa include, the South African Bookmakers’ Association, the Western Cape Bookmakers’ Association, the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling and the European Casino Association.
 
For more information on the first ICE Africa and to register, visit the ICE Africa website: www.iceafrica.za.com

Image: Steven Spartinos, co-founder and co-CEO of Kiron Interactive