Exclusive: How Youth, Mobile-First Growth, and Esports Are Defining Africa’s Gaming Future
During a discussion with iGaming AFRIKA, Ekaterina Mayorova, Head of Region for Africa at QTech Games, pointed out that Africa’s gaming landscape is entering a defining moment shaped by youth-driven creativity, rapid mobile adoption, and an increasingly interconnected digital culture. In this interview, she shares insights on market evolution, inclusivity in e-sports, and the unique dynamics influencing player behavior across the continent.
iGaming AFRIKA: Congratulations on your new role as Head of Region for Africa at QTech Games. How does this expanded responsibility align with your vision for strengthening connections and growth within Africa’s dynamic gaming landscape?
Ekaterina Mayorova: Thank you so much! I’m really excited about this new chapter. For me, this role is about more than just business growth; it’s about connection and understanding what truly makes each African market unique.
Africa is the youngest continent in the world [with a median age of around 19.7 years and a high percentage of its population under 30], and that brings an incredible burst of creativity, energy, and innovation. What works in Europe or Asia doesn’t always work here, and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting. Even the most popular global games might not resonate the same way, which opens a real opportunity to collaborate with local studios, content creators, and entrepreneurs who understand their audiences best.
Read Also: QTech Games Hires Ekaterina Mayorova as sales lead for Africa and Eastern Europe
With QTech Games, we have a strong foundation, a diverse portfolio of global content, robust technology, and a Hybrid retail-online solution that’s uniquely adaptable to local markets. My goal is to use that foundation to build real bridges between international innovation and Africa’s creative pulse, helping the region grow in a way that’s authentic, sustainable, and proudly local.
iGaming AFRIKA: Your journey in the iGaming industry has been extensive. How would you summarise your career path and the experiences that have shaped your approach to this sector?
Ekaterina Mayorova: It’s definitely been quite a journey! I started in the tech world, working at Microsoft in Malta, where I managed infrastructure, internal IT systems, and data for several clients in the iGaming industry. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how technology supports operators behind the scenes, and even back then, I was attending iGaming events, meeting clients, and witnessing how fast the industry was evolving. It also taught me the importance of building trust, delivering consistency, and nurturing long-term relationships.
From there, I moved into fintech with Trustly, focusing on open banking and payment solutions for iGaming operators. That role gave me a front-row seat to the financial side of the industry, and I learned a lot about compliance, licensing frameworks, and regulatory nuances across major markets like the UK, Sweden, and Finland. Trustly had a very strong compliance-first culture, which helped me understand how crucial transparency and responsibility are in iGaming. It was also my true introduction to the full iGaming ecosystem, as I was directly involved in managing the entire payment cycle for top-tier operators in regulated jurisdictions.
Eventually, I found my real passion at the intersection of gaming, esports, and innovation, first with PandaScore, where I learned how esports odds data is created through a combination of traders’ expertise and AI technologies. That experience gave me a deep understanding of data production, integrity, and how esports represent an entirely new direction within the broader sports and entertainment space. It opened my eyes to how technology, data, and creativity come together to shape the future of gaming.
Now at QTech Games, I have the chance to bring all those experiences together on a broader, global scale, combining my background in technology, payments, and data with a focus on new market growth, especially across Africa. Working across Europe, Africa, and Asia has shown me how diverse this industry truly is, and how important it is to adapt to local realities. My approach today is rooted in connection, curiosity, and collaboration, finding solutions that truly fit each region’s unique rhythm rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.
iGaming AFRIKA: Your academic background in cyberpsychology offers a unique perspective on player behaviour. How does this lens influence your strategies in sales, product development, and player engagement?
Ekaterina Mayorova: I actually just graduated from my master’s in Cyberpsychology recently, and I’m really grateful to my university, my lecturers, and everyone who supported me along the way. It’s been such an eye-opening journey that has given me a deeper understanding of how people think, feel, and behave in digital environments.
In sales and market development, that perspective is invaluable. I focus a lot on empathy and trust, understanding motivation, perception, and decision-making. It’s about seeing the human side behind data and metrics. Cyberpsychology helps me understand my markets better, how players think, how partners and platforms operate, and how to tailor communication to different audiences. It also gives me insight into the dynamics between aggregators, operators, and providers, helping me build stronger, more authentic relationships.
And it goes beyond clients, even in how I communicate with my own team online, I find myself using the same principles to connect more effectively, understand emotions behind messages, and keep collaboration positive and motivating.
It’s also helped me elevate my social media presence, being more intentional about how I express ideas, connect with audiences, and build a personal brand that feels real and relatable. So overall, cyberpsychology is something I apply daily, in leadership, communication, and strategy; it’s really about understanding people first, then building everything else around that.
iGaming AFRIKA: You’ve been passionate about esports. What makes esports such a powerful entry point for understanding African digital culture and trends?
Ekaterina Mayorova: E-sports is something I’m genuinely passionate about, because it’s so much more than gaming; it’s culture, community, and creativity all coming together. In Africa, it’s a perfect window into how digital culture is evolving, especially because it’s driven by the continent’s young, connected, and tech-savvy generation.
E-sports show how quickly African audiences are embracing digital entertainment, mobile-first experiences, and social connection online. It reflects local identity, music, and style, blending global trends with a unique regional flavor. That’s why I see e-sports not just as a business opportunity, but as a cultural movement, one that tells us a lot about how people engage with technology, competition, and belonging.
For me, it’s also an entry point into understanding what motivates this generation, their creativity, entrepreneurial mindset, and desire to be seen globally while staying true to local roots. Esports captures that energy perfectly, and it’s why I believe it will continue to play a huge role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
iGaming AFRIKA: Gender inclusivity in e-sports is a growing topic globally. What are some of the challenges you have observed for women in e-sports across Africa, and how can we foster a more inclusive environment?
Ekaterina Mayorova: That’s a really important question, and one that’s very close to my heart. Across Africa, I’ve met so many talented women in gaming and esports, like Faith Dorothy from Uganda, who truly inspires me. There’s incredible potential, but also real challenges, from limited visibility and access to opportunities, to social stereotypes that still make it harder for women to be recognised in this space.
What’s unique about esports, though, is that it breaks many of the barriers found in traditional sports. In standard sports, physical ability often divides men’s and women’s competitions, but in esports, teams can be mixed gender. That creates more equal opportunities for women to compete at the same level, be part of the same teams, and show that skill, strategy, and teamwork matter more than physical differences.
The good news is that change is already happening. More women are stepping forward as players, casters, creators, and organisers, and they’re building strong communities that empower others to follow. To make the ecosystem more inclusive, we need to continue creating safe, visible spaces, invest in mentorship and education, and amplify women’s success stories.
I truly believe diversity is the foundation of innovation. When women are represented equally, esports become richer, more creative, and more authentic, and Africa has a real opportunity to lead that change on a global scale.
iGaming AFRIKA: Having worked in both African and Eastern European markets, what similarities and contrasts do you notice in how players in these regions engage with digital entertainment?
Ekaterina Mayorova: That’s a great question, and one I’ve thought about a lot, having worked closely with both African and Eastern European markets. What stands out first are the similarities: in both regions, players are incredibly passionate, community-driven, and resourceful. They love competition, creativity, and social connection, and they engage deeply with digital entertainment as a way to express identity and connect with others.
The key difference often lies in context. In Eastern Europe, infrastructure like internet coverage and payment systems has been established for longer, so digital entertainment is more standardised and mature. In Africa, the growth is much more dynamic and mobile-first; people are leapfrogging directly into digital ecosystems, often blending entertainment, community, and entrepreneurship in one space.
What excites me most about Africa is its youthful energy and the sense of discovery — players are not just consuming content; they’re shaping it, localising it and turning it into something uniquely their own. Both regions share resilience and creativity, but Africa’s digital entertainment scene feels like it’s writing a new chapter in real time, and that’s what makes it so inspiring to be part of.
iGaming AFRIKA: As iGaming and esports continue to converge, how do you foresee player experiences evolving, especially in mobile-first markets like Africa?
Ekaterina Mayorova: This is another question I’m really passionate about. As iGaming and esports continue to converge, I think we’ll see a new generation of experiences that are more interactive, social, and mobile-driven, especially in regions like Africa.
Africa is already a mobile-first continent, and players here love experiences that are fast, social, and easily shareable. The lines between watching, playing, and betting are starting to blur. Fans want to engage with their favourite games or tournaments in real time, whether that’s through live odds, mini-games, or community-driven competitions.
I see the future moving toward platforms that combine the excitement of esports with the accessibility of mobile iGaming, where engagement becomes more personalised, gamified, and community-centred. It’s not just about placing a bet anymore; it’s about participation, identity, and belonging in the digital entertainment ecosystem.
With the right technology and local understanding, Africa has the potential not only to adopt these trends but to redefine how mobile entertainment looks globally.
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