What African Players Really Want: Beyond Industry Assumptions – A Podcast with Mathews Banda
The gaming sector in Africa is one of the most talked-about growth stories in the global betting ecosystem. Reports predict billions in revenue. Investors see opportunity. Operators continue to enter new markets, certain that the continent is the next big area for expansion. But in all this talk of growth, the voice of the player is often absent. What do African players really want from gaming platforms? What keeps people coming back? What makes them trust a brand and what is it that makes some operators successful and others unsuccessful in apparently promising markets?
These were the questions that informed Episode 14 of the iGaming AFRIKA Podcast between host Victoria Abiodun and Mathews Banda, Affiliate Manager at WinWinBet and GoldPari. During the conversation, Banda addressed a number of preconceptions that continue to affect the way the industry engages Africa. His point was not that operators are data poor. Instead, he feels many are looking at the wrong data, looking at markets through the wrong lens, and ignoring the human behaviors that ultimately drive success.
One of the strongest messages from the discussion was the danger of treating Africa as a single market. For years, international operators have been entering the continent with wide regional strategies, frequently bundling dozens of nations under a single African expansion plan. This may make company planning easier, but it rarely represents what is happening on the ground.
“Africa is not a single big market,” Banda said. Every African market has a unique combination of culture, regulation, economic factors, payment infrastructure, internet availability and consumer behavior. A Kenyan player may have different expectations to a player in Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia or South Africa. Customer tastes can also vary widely even within the same city, based on demographics, income levels and access to technology. The most successful operators are those who are willing to localise their approach, tailor payment systems, customer journeys, advertising campaigns and support structures to the reality of each location. “If you build your strategy around one continent, you find that what works in one market doesn’t always work in another,” he said.
Another critical issue highlighted during the conversation was how operators interpret data. While the gaming industry has become increasingly data-driven, Banda believes many companies are still focused on the wrong metrics. Market size estimates, growth projections, and revenue forecasts often dominate boardroom discussions because they are easy to measure and attractive to investors. According to Banda, these figures reveal very little about the actual experiences of players.
“Many operators only look at big numbers such as market size, growth rate, or a billion-dollar forecast. Those numbers create excitement, but they do not show how users usually behave when they’re using the product. The mistake is that these big numbers mean full understanding, but the value is in small details,” he explained.
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For Banda, key insights lie in player behavior. He said there were three areas operators should focus on when assessing data. First, they need to understand where customers are dropping off in the product. Drop-off points in a customer journey might show friction spots that prevent engagement and retention. Second, they need to look at what builds user trust in a brand. The moments and experiences that generate confidence are frequently the basis of long-term loyalty. Finally, operators should monitor not only the speed with which users depart a platform but, more significantly, the reasons for their departure. While growth estimates may indicate the enormity of the market, knowing where customers disengage, what earns their trust and what drives churn provides operators with practical information that may immediately improve product performance and long-term retention.
“One, they need to start focusing on where users stop using the product. That’s the first point. The second point, they need also to focus on what makes the users trust the brand. The third point, I would say how quickly users leave the brand. Those are the many things they need to focus on as they are interpreting the data,” he said.
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the discussion was the role of trust. While operators often invest heavily in acquisition campaigns, bonuses, and promotional offers, Banda argued that long-term success depends far more on creating reliable experiences that players can trust. According to him, trust is built through consistency. Players quickly lose confidence in platforms that are slow, unreliable, or difficult to navigate. Delayed withdrawals, poor customer support, confusing interfaces, and technical issues create friction that directly impacts retention. Conversely, platforms that deliver smooth and dependable experiences build confidence over time.
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Banda identified three key elements that help establish trust from the very first interaction. That is speed, simplicity, and choice. As he explained, “The product must be fast because if it is slow, users start to lose trust.” Simplicity is equally important, with platforms needing to be easy to use and free from unnecessary friction or confusion. The third factor is choice. Offering a wide range of options not only improves the user experience but also reinforces the perception that a platform is credible, established, and dependable.
Drawing from his experience at WinWinBet and GoldPari, Banda identified three broad player archetypes that are commonly found across African markets: casual users, sports-focused users, and community-driven users. The first group consists of casual users who primarily seek entertainment. These players tend to have shorter sessions and lower tolerance for friction. If a platform is slow, difficult to navigate, or fails to deliver a smooth experience, they are likely to leave quickly and explore alternatives.
The second group is made up of highly engaged sports users. Unlike casual players, these users are deeply invested in live events and frequently make decisions in real time. They monitor matches closely, react instantly to changing odds, and expect platforms to keep pace with their behaviour. For these users, speed is a necessity. A delayed odds update, a slow-loading page, or unstable connectivity can directly affect decision-making and erode trust in the platform.
The third group consists of community-driven users. Unlike players who discover platforms through direct advertising, this segment is heavily influenced by external recommendations and existing trust networks. Their behaviour reflects the growing importance of community influence across many African markets, where personal recommendations often shape purchasing and platform decisions.
While operators continue to invest heavily in digital advertising and promotional campaigns, Banda pointed out that many African users still rely on recommendations from friends, tipsters, WhatsApp groups, and local communities when deciding where to play. In many cases, trust is established before registration even begins. “For the community-driven users, it is one of the most powerful ways users discover platforms in many regions. Many users come from WhatsApp groups, friends recommendation or local communities. They already trust the platform before they even sign up or before they even make deposits.“
What makes Banda’s perspective particularly interesting is that it is not purely theoretical. The lessons he shared throughout the conversation are the same principles shaping how WinWinBet and GoldPari approach their products and customer experience. The two brands seem to be focusing on the basics that Banda believes are most important to African players, from rapid registration and speedy payouts to 24/7 customer service. He pointed out that GoldPari has a lightweight app that works well in weaker internet conditions, and WinWinBet’s mobile platform continues to refresh odds even when connectivity is unstable. These selections, and a broad offering of gaming possibilities, are reflective of the larger idea that has developed from the discussion that trust is built with consistency of experience, not promises.
