The African Responsible Gaming Network, known as ARGN, has officially launched with the goal of strengthening player protection across the continent’s rapidly expanding online betting market.
The network brings together responsible gaming organisations, researchers, and treatment specialists from multiple countries both inside and outside Africa.
Its launch has been described as a “significant step forward” in addressing gambling-related harm across a continent where online betting continues to grow at a significant pace.
Lebo Seoheng, advocacy and communications manager at the South African Responsible Gaming Foundation, has been appointed as the ARGN’s president.
Seoheng has noted that the network’s launch comes at a critical time, as Africa’s online gambling market expansion makes stronger player protection measures increasingly important.
GamblePause Initiative Africa, founded by Ladipo Abiose Akolade, is among the founding members of the ARGN and has played a central role in establishing the network.
Akolade has said the ARGN was created to address the fragmented nature of responsible gambling efforts across Africa and foster greater collaboration between organisations working in the space.
“ARGN was created because problem gambling is becoming a bigger issue across Africa and most responsible gambling efforts still happen within individual countries,” Akolade said.
“While many organisations are doing great work, there has been limited opportunity to learn from each other, share research, or work together on common challenges,” he added.
The ARGN has outlined four key strategic priorities to guide its work across African markets going forward.
These priorities include producing a pan-African gambling harm report, establishing a directory of treatment and support services, developing policy recommendations, and coordinating awareness campaigns across multiple markets.
Akolade has been clear that the network’s approach is to promote “common principles rather than identical regulations” across the diverse continent.
“Every African country has its own legal framework, culture, and level of market development, so a single model might not work everywhere,” he explained.
The network does, however, believe certain basic protections should apply universally, regardless of each country’s individual regulatory environment.
“These include protecting minors, providing effective self-exclusion options, promoting responsible advertising and ensuring that people affected by gambling harm can access support,” Akolade stated.
