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iGaming Tech Dilemma: Are You Wasting Money by Building from Scratch? – A Podcast with Aluwani Mukhudwana

As Africa’s iGaming industry rapidly transforms, both new and established operators face critical technology decisions: should they build platforms from scratch or buy ready-made solutions? In Episode 10 of the iGaming AFRIKA podcast, iGaming AFRIKA sat down with Aluwani Mukhudwana, Business Development Manager at SOFTSWISS, to unpack the nuances of the build-vs-buy dilemma, explore the trade-offs between both models, and discuss the growing appeal of hybrid approaches.

To help operators navigate these challenges, SOFTSWISS, a global tech company providing software solutions for the iGaming industry, launched a “Build vs Buy Playbook ” tailored specifically for the African market. According to Mukhudwana, the initiative was born out of real-world difficulties faced by operators trying to match their technological ambition with sustainable profitability. “Too often, we see tech providers throw a solution into the market without considering how it functions in practice, especially in mobile-first markets like Africa. We wanted to change that.”

In the rapidly shifting regulatory environments where tax laws, licensing requirements, and user behaviors evolve frequently, hybrid platforms offer a critical edge for operators navigating Africa’s complex and shifting regulatory environments. This model allows operators to retain creative and operational control over the front end by designing and customizing the user interface to their preferences, while relying on a secure, compliant, and scalable back end managed by a trusted tech provider like SOFTSWISS.

“Hybrid model is like a middle center where you’re balancing the front end and the back end. So, the front end on that model is based on the operator’s preference. They can design the front end of the website as much as they want. And then, on the back end, that’s where you may be finding them using our solutions, which are already certified, compliant, and cater to the robust requirements of that particular market,” Aluwani explained. “Operators can control the user journey and leave the compliance and system infrastructure to us. It’s the best of both worlds.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the ‘buy’ option is particularly attractive in Africa, where speed to market is a key competitive advantage. This model removes many of the burdens associated with building from scratch, offering a faster and more streamlined path to launch. SOFTSWISS, for instance, provides operators with ready-to-launch platforms complete with built-in compliance, 24/7 support, third-party integrations, and regulatory certifications.

Read Also: Examining How Operational Models, Proper Regulation and Taxation Are Shaping the African iGaming Landscape – A podcast with Cameron Green

“Operators can focus on marketing and customer acquisition instead of spending time and money building infrastructure. We remove the technical heavy-lifting so they can go live in weeks, not years.”

In a continent where regulatory frameworks are constantly evolving, particularly in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, responsible gaming and compliance are essential. SOFTSWISS platforms are equipped with built-in features such as self-exclusion tools, allowing operators to meet diverse legal obligations across jurisdictions. Beyond responsible gaming, operators must also navigate shifting tax regimes and licensing requirements.

As Aluwani noted, “Nothing is truly streamlined. Everything just changes overnight. Like even taxation, for example. You can look at markets like Kenya. You know, tax can be 15% today, and then tomorrow it’s 5%.” This level of unpredictability makes it vital to work with a tech partner that offers both scalability and adaptability, without sacrificing speed to market.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already shaping the future of iGaming, with operators actively exploring its integration across various functions. From customizing player experiences to streamlining backend operations, AI holds the potential to dramatically enhance both operational efficiency and user engagement. While large-scale implementations are still evolving, the company is testing AI in areas like efficiency optimization and game development.

“We are definitely on the lookout to see what we can do innovation-wise… We’ve seen that with certain game providers we’ve integrated, where you can design a game based on just a few prompts,” he noted.

For operators navigating Africa’s complex iGaming landscape, the build-vs-buy decision hinges on budget, speed, and local market understanding. While building a custom platform offers greater control, it also demands significant time, staffing, and multimillion-euro investment, often an impractical route in markets where regulatory conditions can shift overnight.

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