Gossy Ukanwoke on Trust, Compliance, and Regulation in the iGaming Sector
During the recent Enugu Gaming Conference 2025, one of the standout voices was Gossy Ukanwoke, Managing Director of Kingmakers and CEO of BetKing. Known for his deep insights and leadership in the iGaming sector, Gossy shared perspectives on the growth of Nigeria’s gaming ecosystem, the role of trust in building sustainable businesses, and the future of regulation in the industry.
As a leader of one of Nigeria’s most recognized gaming brands, Gossy stressed that “trust and innovation” are the bedrock of long-term growth. For BetKing, he explained, trust is is the foundation upon which the business is built. “Customers trust BetKing to always pay and to keep the promises we make. Across the industry, we’re seen as a responsible and compliant company because that’s how we treat our business,” he said.
This trust, he explained, is built in layers: first with customers, who need assurance that their wagers are safe and their winnings guaranteed; then with regulators, who must see operators adhering to the highest standards of reporting, compliance, and transparency; and finally, within the industry itself, where brands that demonstrate integrity create the benchmarks for others to follow.
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This commitment, he emphasized, extends far beyond simply ensuring payouts. BetKing’s reputation has been shaped by a deliberate culture of compliance, accountability, and customer protection. The brand has positioned itself as one of the pioneers in introducing responsible gambling frameworks in Nigeria from affordability checks that verify whether customers can sustain their play, to early partnerships with Gamble Alert to provide support for at-risk players.
For BetKing, this philosophy has also influenced the way it approaches corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company invests heavily in initiatives across sports, healthcare, and community education. “In the end,” Gossy explained, “our goal is not just profitability. It’s about building a business and an industry that customers can rely on for the long term. Sustainability comes from trust and that is why we place it at the heart of everything we do.”
On the regulatory side, he said that BetKing maintains a culture of transparency and compliance by filing its reports on time and engaging openly with financial authorities. This approach not only strengthens stakeholder and customers’ confidence in the business but also signals a business model designed for long-term sustainability.
Conversations around unifying laws and regulations in Nigeria’s gaming sector have sparked both optimism and skepticism with some stakeholders seeing it as a step toward greater order, while others question its practicality. For Gossy, regulation is inevitable but must be shaped to reduce friction for operators. He stressed the need for synergy between regulators and operators, with standardized rules that make compliance and reporting easier across jurisdictions. As he put it, “Regulation is never going to be comfortable for everyone. What matters is creating synergy between operators and regulators that makes compliance and reporting easier.”
