The International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA) is expanding its global reach by establishing a new African division, GSA Africa. This strategic move aims to enhance gaming standards and regulations across various sectors of the African gambling industry, including land-based and online gaming, sports betting, and lottery operations. GSA Africa will function as a local office to cater specifically to the unique needs of the continent’s gaming landscape.
Heading this initiative is FK Fayad, the CEO of SamPro Group, a prominent business holding in the Middle East and Africa. Fayad brings a wealth of experience in trade, technology, ICT business, regulation, and government consultancy across Africa, Asia, the Gulf Region, and the Middle East. Additionally, he holds advisory and strategic positions with various organizations. These include the Nigerian Arab Gulf Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
IGSA’s Vision for GSA Africa
The establishment of GSA Africa is a significant milestone for IGSA and the gaming industry at large. According to Peter DeRaedt, IGSA President, “Gaming is expanding rapidly across the continent and, appropriately, each jurisdiction has its own nuanced regulations. GSA Africa will function as a guiding voice, bringing the myriad benefits of standards to operators, suppliers and regulators across the continent.”
FK Fayad expressed his enthusiasm for leading GSA Africa and the importance of such ventures in Africa’s fast-growing gaming industry, stating, “It is an honour to lead the newly created GSA Africa. Africa is an exciting part of the global gaming industry, where growth is rapid and poised to continue at a strong pace. Bringing IGSA standards to the continent at this phase of its growth is essential; I’m thrilled to lead this charge.”
IGSA’s Recent Initiatives
IGSA’s commitment to the gaming industry goes beyond launching GSA Africa. Recently, the association established a Cyber Resiliency Committee (CRC) to develop cyber standards tailored for gambling businesses. The CRC is actively working on defining standards for cyber risk management, cybersecurity governance, and framework control standards. These are designed specifically for casino operators. Notably, several IGSA members, including Aristocrat Technologies, Light & Wonder, and AXES.ai, have pledged their support for this committee.
Furthermore, in June, IGSA’s board approved the formation of a Responsible Gaming Committee. This committee’s mission is to provide valuable support to regulators and operators through a multi-tiered framework known as the Responsible Gaming Maturity Model (RGMM). The RGMM offers a structured pathway for the industry, ranging from establishing fundamental responsible gaming policies to managing a precise dashboard of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) derived from quantifiable data. This approach fosters a highly quantifiable and predictable responsible gaming model for both regulators and operators.
