SBC and GRAF Form Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Regulatory Dialogue Across African Gaming Jurisdictions
TL;DR — SBC and GRAF have formed a strategic partnership to advance regulatory dialogue and knowledge exchange in African gaming. SBC backs the GRAF 2026 Conference in Maputo while GRAF joins the African Gaming Forum at SBC Summit Lisbon, with confirmed regulators from Botswana, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria. The deal centers regulators in industry conversations.
SCCG Take — This two-way platform directly links African regulatory voices to global operators, supporting jurisdiction-specific standards on key issues like taxation and responsible gambling.
SBC and the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) have formed a strategic partnership to strengthen regulatory dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration across Africa’s rapidly evolving gaming markets.
Under the agreement, SBC will support the GRAF 2026 Conference from 14–17 September 2026 at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre in Maputo, Mozambique. GRAF will become an Event Partner of the African Gaming Forum held during SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon. GRAF will host the dedicated panel GRAF: African Gaming under the microscope with senior regulatory representatives.
The invite-only African Gaming Forum runs from 11:30 to 19:00 on 30 September at the Myriad Hotel. It convenes regulators, operators and stakeholders to examine opportunities, challenges and regulatory developments. Confirmed participants include Moruntshi Kemorwale, CEO of the Gambling Authority Botswana; Lungile Dukwana, CEO of South Africa’s National Gambling Board; Emmanuel Siisi Quainoo, Acting Commissioner of the Gaming Commission of Ghana; Peter Maina Karimi, Director General of Kenya’s Gaming Regulatory Authority; Muchanankhwaye Mpuluka, CEO of Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority; and Bashir Are, CEO of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “Africa is not one gaming market. Every jurisdiction is developing at its own pace, with different regulatory frameworks, priorities and challenges. If we want to have meaningful conversations about the future of gaming across the continent, regulators need to be at the centre of them.” Sojmark added that the partnership creates a space for regulatory perspectives alongside operators and connects knowledge exchange to the international community.
Reuben Mabutho Zwane, President of GRAF, said: “This partnership marks an important step in strengthening Africa’s voice within the global gaming conversation. It is essential that African regulators have a strong platform through which to exchange experience, engage internationally and help shape the conversations that increasingly influence the future of our industry.” Zwane highlighted the two-way platform for supporting regulators and contributing to international dialogue.
SBC Summit 2026 runs from 29 September to 1 October and is projected to welcome 40,000 industry professionals. As reported by SBC News, both organizations share an interest in connecting African regulatory authorities with the wider global gaming industry.
Collaborative Framework for African Events
The mutual support integrates the Maputo conference with the Lisbon forum. This structure places regulators at the core of discussions on market entry, taxation, responsible gambling and evolving frameworks.
Platform for Cross-Jurisdictional Exchange
The partnership establishes a sustained channel for African regulators to engage international operators and suppliers. It addresses the distinct pace of development in each jurisdiction without assuming uniform solutions across the continent.
Reporting: SBC News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Real regulatory access matters more than trade show panels — this partnership creates two-way dialogue across six jurisdictions.
We've seen operators stumble in Africa by treating it as one market. It's not. Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa — each runs different frameworks, tax regimes, and responsible gambling standards. This SBC-GRAF partnership puts the people who write the rules in the same room as the operators who need to follow them, in Lisbon and Maputo.
- SBC backs GRAF 2026 Conference in Maputo; GRAF joins African Gaming Forum at SBC Summit Lisbon
- Confirmed regulators from Botswana, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria attending
- Partnership centers regulatory voices in operator strategy across distinct African jurisdictions
SCCG angle: SCCG works across every regulated African market through established regulatory relationships and local partners. When a client needs to enter Botswana, Kenya or Nigeria, we connect them to the right advisors, introduce local operators who've navigated compliance, and map jurisdiction-specific requirements before they commit capital. This partnership confirms what we already do — regulatory dialogue drives market access.
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