With just 1 week to go, the 11th Annual Sports Betting East Africa+ Summit 2026 is preparing to unite regulators, operators, innovators, affiliates, and technology providers for three days of practical industry discussions and high-value networking.
Taking place from 22 – 24 April 2026 at the refined Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, the summit continues to serve as a meeting point for key stakeholders shaping East Africa’s gaming market. With an operator-led agenda and strong diversity of senior decision makers, the event provides a platform for meaningful discussions and practical insights.
What to Expect Across Three Days
Day 1 – Welcome & Industry Recognition
The summit opens with the Official SBEA+ Welcoming Evening & Awards Evening, bringing together attendees in a relaxed setting to connect and engage ahead of the main conference programme. The evening is set to recognise excellence across operations, regulation, innovation, and responsible growth, alongside lively local entertainment and networking!
Day 2 – Regulation, Compliance & Operational Strategy
Day two focuses on the regulatory landscape and operational readiness, kicking off with a keynote on aligning regulation with market growth. Discussions will explore navigating diverse compliance environments, embedding responsible gaming into business operations, and driving sustainable growth. Sessions will also cover operator strategy, payments, transaction ecosystems, marketing, and ethical promotion in regulated markets. The day will conclude with the Harmony Dinner, proudly sponsored by BetConstruct AI, providing an opportunity for continued engagement and networking among attendees.
Day 3 – Technology, Player Experience & Future Growth
The final day shifts towards technology, player engagement, and long-term growth strategies. Sessions will explore data-driven decision-making, platform optimisation, and how success is being redefined through retention and player lifetime value. Additional discussions will cover cross-border expansion, esports development, and digital marketing strategies. New to this year’s programme, the Startup Pitch Competition will showcase emerging innovators, bringing fresh thinking and new perspectives to the forefront of the industry.
Hear from the Operators Shaping Today’s Market
Leading up to the summit, we spoke with leading operators who will be taking the stage to share practical insights and address the realities shaping today’s market. Their perspectives reflect the challenges, opportunities, and strategic thinking driving the industry forward.
Derrick Omwakwe, Country Manager at Mula Sport Kenya, shared his perspective on what will define successful brand positioning in the year ahead:
“The operators who win in the next 12 months will be the ones who stop thinking about digital as a channel and start treating it as the entire brand experience. For African markets specifically, a few things stand out:
Hyper-local content at scale – Generic sports betting content is dead. Brands that speak to FKF Premier League fans differently from EPL fans, that localise messaging by county, and that reflect real Kenyan culture in their creative will build deeper loyalty than anyone running pan-African campaigns.
LLM and zero-click SEO readiness – The search landscape is shifting faster than most operators have noticed. With AI-generated answers eating into organic traffic, brands need to be structured as authoritative, trustworthy sources that language models surface – not just pages that rank.
Retention-led brand building – Acquisition costs are rising across the board. The brands that will define the next era are investing in CRM and lifecycle communication – SMS, push, and in-app – not just performance media.”
Expanding on the balance between effective marketing and regulatory alignment, he highlighted the importance of building trust within the market:
“Responsible marketing isn’t a constraint – it’s actually a positioning advantage in a market like Kenya, where trust is still being built between operators and players.
Design for the informed player, not the impulsive one – Messaging that leads with entertainment value, odds transparency, and clear bonus terms is both compliant and more effective long-term.
Proactive compliance, not reactive – Operators who are ahead of regulation will avoid disruption when enforcement tightens.
Channel discipline – Not every message belongs on every channel.”
Looking ahead to the summit, Derrick shared what he looks forward to most:
“The conversations that don’t make it onto the agenda – the hallway discussions between operators navigating the same realities.
I’m particularly interested in the intersection of brand building and performance marketing, and how operators are adapting to AI-driven search and evolving content strategies.”
Brian Ondiso, Product Lead at Shabiki, offered insight into what sustainable growth looks like in today’s market, with a strong focus on player behaviour and retention:
“Sustainable growth in East Africa comes down to retention, not just acquisition. The operators who win are those who build fast, engaging products that keep players active beyond the first deposit.”
He also emphasised the direct relationship between player experience and commercial success, emphasising the role of product quality in driving performance:
“Player experience and commercial success are not in conflict… Think of it as entertainment. When the product is responsive, personalised, and rewarding in real time, players naturally stay longer and spend more.
If you have a good product, you spend less on marketing. In Swahili, we say ‘KIZURI CHAJIUZA’.”
Looking ahead to the discussions at the summit, Brian foregrounded the importance of practical, experience-led conversations:
“I’m looking forward to more honest, practical conversations around what is actually working in African markets today – particularly around retention, player behaviour, and product strategy.”
Eric Mwai, COO at WezaBet, addressed how operators should approach marketing in an increasingly regulated environment, noting a shift towards quality and compliance:
“Operators must shift their focus from high-volume traffic to high-quality, compliant leads. This means moving toward value-driven growth rather than raw FTD counts.”
He further emphasised the role of transparency in building long-term player trust and retention:
“In emerging markets, transparency about payouts and odds is the ultimate retention tool. Trust reduces churn better than any bonus can.”
Looking ahead to the summit, Eric pinpointed the value of connecting with peers and exchanging insights:
“This is a great opportunity to network with fellow executives and understand how to reach new audiences responsibly while protecting your brand.”
These insights illuminate the realities operators are navigating today, while also pointing to where the market is headed. As discussions unfold at the summit, these perspectives will contribute to more grounded, experience-led conversations across the industry.
Meet Industry Professionals from Leading Companies
The SBEA+ Summit will bring together professionals from across the gaming and betting industry, including representatives from the following distinguished organisations:
- Africa Sports Unified
- AfriGaming Bulletin
- AGOK
- Aviatrix
- Axela Gaming Technologies Limited
- BetConstruct AI
- BetJam
- Buckley Owuor & Co. Advocates
- Carnaval Kenya Limited
- Diligence Advisory Africa
- DSTGaming
- EGT Digital
- EGT Kenya
- EI Networking
- EI News
- Elite Executive
- Engoru Mutebi Advocates
- Gaming NewsByte
- Gambling Regulatory Authority
- IB-GAMES
- iGaming Africa Hub
- Kadam
- Ke7.com
- Kiron Interactive
- MulaSport
- Nakuru Esports Association
- NascentEdge
- Ni-Wakati Sports Africa
- NovaMotus
- Professional Esports Association (Kenya)
- Prosport Africa
- QTech Games
- Seat Geek Ltd.
- Senegal National Lottery (LONASE)
- Shabiki
- Sofapaka F.C
- Sonnet Group
- Sportradar Group AG
- SportyBet (Sporty Group)
- Stellar Bets
- Tola Mobile Ltd.
- Uganda Esports and Gaming Federation
- Vinnare Legal Chambers
- WezaBet
AND MANY MORE!
Collectively, these organisations underscore the level of engagement and cross-sector collaboration defining the market today.
Join Us in Nairobi
With only one week left, time is running out to secure your place at one of East Africa’s most prominent industry gatherings. Join the conversations shaping the market, connect with C-suite leadership, and position your business where real opportunities take form.
Register now: https://www.sportsbettingevents.com/sbea
