Gaming authorities from across Africa will meet in Rome on 5 November to begin developing a framework for stronger regulatory cooperation, information sharing and coordinated action against illegal gambling.
African gambling regulators are preparing to take a significant step towards closer regulatory cooperation as the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF), in partnership with SiGMA, convenes a high-level workshop during SiGMA World 2026 in Rome, Italy.
Scheduled for 5 November 2026, the workshop will bring together regulatory representatives from South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda and Mauritius, alongside industry stakeholders, to begin drafting a continent-wide cooperation framework.
The initiative reflects growing recognition that gambling regulation across Africa faces challenges that increasingly extend beyond individual national borders.
From Regulatory Discussions to Practical Action
The workshop, themed “Building an African Regulatory Cooperation Framework: Advancing Harmonisation Through Collaboration,” will focus on developing the first version of a document known as the Rome Working Draft (Version 0.1).
It builds on discussions held during the GRAF Regulatory Forum at SiGMA Africa in Cape Town in March 2026, where regulators explored opportunities for closer cooperation on licensing, responsible gambling and technology-enabled oversight.
Unlike previous discussions, the Rome meeting is designed to produce an initial working document that could guide future collaboration among participating authorities.
Five Key Areas of Cooperation
According to the organisers, delegates will work in five groups addressing practical regulatory challenges:
- Information sharing: Developing protocols that allow regulators to exchange relevant information across jurisdictions.
- Legal and institutional arrangements: Exploring structures that could support formal cooperation while respecting national laws.
- Enforcement cooperation: Identifying opportunities for coordinated responses to illegal and cross-border gambling activities.
- Capacity building: Strengthening regulatory expertise through training, research and knowledge exchange.
- Stakeholder engagement: Improving communication among regulators, gaming operators and other industry participants.
Recommendations from the working groups will be consolidated to inform the proposed cooperation framework.
Why Cross-Border Gambling Is Becoming a Regulatory Priority
Africa’s gaming industry operates across a diverse regulatory landscape, with individual countries maintaining different licensing systems, compliance requirements, taxation policies and enforcement practices.
At the same time, online betting platforms and digital payment technologies increasingly enable gaming-related activities across national boundaries.
This creates challenges for regulators seeking to address illegal gambling, money laundering risks, responsible gambling concerns and consumer protection.
Greater cooperation could help authorities exchange intelligence, identify common risks and improve enforcement effectiveness.
However, the initiative is not intended to replace national gambling laws or establish a single African gaming licence.
Each participating jurisdiction would retain its legislative and regulatory authority.
What Could This Mean for Gaming Operators?
For licensed gaming businesses, stronger regulatory cooperation could eventually create clearer expectations around compliance, responsible gambling and cross-border operations.
It may also encourage greater consistency in regulatory approaches across participating markets.
However, closer enforcement cooperation could increase scrutiny of operators serving customers in jurisdictions where they lack the necessary authorisation.
Technology providers, payment companies and international operators entering African markets should therefore pay attention to the framework’s development.
Any practical consequences will depend on the recommendations adopted and how individual regulators subsequently implement them.
Industry Leaders and Regulators to Participate
The workshop will feature senior regulatory representatives and industry specialists.
Among the programme’s key figures are Mabutho Zwane, President of GRAF; Bonga Mngoma, Executive for Transformation and Economic Development at South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Economic Regulatory Authority; and Zoé Siwa, Chief Financial Officer of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.
The programme includes discussions on international regulatory cooperation models, illegal gambling, enforcement challenges and responsible gambling.
The event will take place at Fiera Roma during SiGMA World 2026.
A Defining Conversation for African Gaming Regulation?
The proposed framework represents an important opportunity for African regulators to develop practical responses to challenges shared across multiple gaming markets.
While the outcome remains uncertain, the move from general discussions towards a formal working draft suggests growing interest in more structured regulatory collaboration.
For Africa’s gaming ecosystem, the most important question is whether the initiative will deliver practical cooperation that strengthens consumer protection, supports legitimate businesses and improves regulatory effectiveness without creating unnecessary barriers to market development.
The 5 November workshop will mark the beginning of the drafting process, rather than the adoption of a binding continent-wide regulatory agreement.
iBetAfrica will continue monitoring the discussions and any subsequent announcements concerning the proposed framework.
Source: SiGMA News, 29 October 2026; Gaming Regulators Africa Forum.
