DigiPlus Interactive Corp. is targeting a soft launch of its gaming operations in South Africa by 2027, provided it secures the necessary licenses.
DigiPlus president Andy Tsui expressed optimism the company would obtain a casino license from South Africa within the next eight months.
“We probably will adopt a similar approach [to Brazil]. First, we get the license and then we’ll build a local team there and we also have to conduct market research to better understand what would be the product offering,” Tsui said.
“I would say sometime in early 2027, we also will do a soft launch in South Africa,” he said.
The company plans to leverage the experience gained from building its Brazil operation, which is set to begin operations next year, to accelerate its entry into the South African market.
DigiPlus reported in July that it planned to file applications for three licenses with South Africa’s Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) including a national manufacturer license, a bookmaker license and a bookmaker premises license.
South Africa’s online betting industry was valued at more than 28.97 billion rand (about $1.6 billion) in 2023 and 2024, with projections for up to 5 percent annual growth.
The growth is fueled by increased mobile phone use, a growing digital population and high demand for live sports betting.
The South African market is widely considered a key example of regulated online gambling in Africa. A proposed Remote Gambling Bill, which could expand legal gambling formats to include online casinos, signals significant potential for long-term growth.
Tsui said DigiPlus continues to evaluate other developing countries for licensing opportunities, carefully selecting new markets.
“We only go for the licensed markets as we’re a listed company. We look for a more like a developing country which has more opportunities. We’re not going into these mature markets like UK or US because the cost of entrance is much higher and it’s very competitive so we carefully selecting those new opportunities,” Tsui said.
