Eman Pulis Discusses SiGMA Africa’s Strategy for Regional Growth via Regulation, Frontier Technologies, and Startup Support
During the recent SiGMA Africa 2026 Summit in Cape Town, iGaming AFRIKA sat down with Eman Pulis, the Founder of SiGMA Group, who shared a comprehensive vision for the future of the African iGaming sector. Mirroring the global shift towards structured market entry, Eman emphasised that the summit’s expansion into Africa is built on a foundation of regulatory collaboration, the integration of frontier technologies, and a “relentless” focus on startup success.
SiGMA Group was started 12 years ago as the iGaming Summit in Malta-SiGMA. Over time, it has grown into a global leader, with a presence on every continent. For Eman, expanding into Africa is a strategic step to support the group’s main goal of promoting regulated markets.
“We want to drive the narrative worldwide that regulated gaming is the only way to go,” Pulis stated.
A key pillar of SiGMA’s strategy in Africa is direct engagement with local authorities. Eman noted that Africa is a “thriving continent” with the world’s youngest population, making it a key frontier for sustainable industry growth. To ensure the industry grows sustainably, the summit successfully attracted 25 regulators from various African states to Cape Town. Officials who, by attending the event, are actively participating in workshops and expo floor discussions, bridging the gap between policy and private sector innovation.
Eman Pulis, while emphasizing the role of the summit as more than just a platform for conversations, said: “It’s a place where business is done, it’s definitely not just talk, we talk the talk yes, but we also walk the walk.”
Describing himself as a “startup romantic,” Eman detailed a support system that includes providing free space at the show and year-round media coverage for new ventures, not only for gaming startups but also for frontier technology, including AI, big data, quantum computing, fintech, and DeFi. He believes that these sectors play a “crucial role” in the industry’s evolution.
His advice for those entering the African market is rooted in the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, urging founders to ensure their projects hit four critical markers, passion, or loving the work, excellence, or being good at the craft/skill, be problem solving, or improving the world of iGaming, and lastly sustainability, or ensuring the project compensates the founder fairly.
Regarding the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, Eman offered a balanced perspective, emphasizing the importance of embracing innovation while exercising caution. He warned that for startups and established firms alike, the failure to adopt AI is virtually guaranteed failure, highlighting the transformative potential of the technology. At the same time, he urged stakeholders to remain cautious about the dangers of unregulated AI, noting Malta’s proactive approach in creating a regulatory framework that allows AI to flourish safely and responsibly.
“We should also be extremely careful of the implications that artificial intelligence can have, not only on our industry, but on society as a whole,” he concluded.
