Altenar secures licence: A new gateway to Africa's gaming landscape

Altenar has been granted a licence byWestern Cape Gambling and Racing Board. The licence is the first that Altenar has acquired in a regulated market in Africa and positions the company in a strong position to expand into other territories in the continent as regulations are introduced.

Magno Neiva, Altenar’s Head of Licensing and Regulatory Compliance, said: “South Africa is the country that sets the gold standard from a regulatory perspective. It is one of the few with the longest tradition when it comes to gambling and they are the ones who help define the licensing structure that other African countries are likely to follow.

“There will be synergies that come from this application which will help us apply for licences from other countries in Africa which adopt a similar approach.”

Acquiring a licence from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.presented Altenar’s compliance team with a number of challenges but clearing such hurdles puts them in a strong position moving forward.

“South Africa is one of the most developed countries in Africa and is English speaking, which made the application process much smoother,” added Neiva as he reflected on the application process. “We also have partners in the region who were able to support the process and having a local presence helped a lot.

“The process to apply for a licence in South Africa was very similar to some US states. The approach that the WCGRB takes is that every applicant ‒ identified by the WCGRB ‒ must fill in a multi-jurisdictional personal form. 

“Each country differs in the format but a multi-jurisdictional form usually has around 60-70 pages, and the form for South Africa specifically focused on our stakeholders needing to disclose all their life for the past decade or more. 

“The due diligence process went deeper than any other country, even the United States.

We would never be able to obtain this licence without the support of our main stakeholders because they have been willing to pass by a high level of personal scrutiny to a foreign regulator.”

While that may have made the process a tougher task, Neiva believes it positions Altenar in a strong position when it comes to future licence applications.

“The process for South Africa has allowed us to enhance our database of the information that we need for any applications which are complicated and may require more paperwork,” he added. “We have gained knowledge and project management awareness that we did not already have, and we are now in a much better place for future applications which require a comprehensive disclosure. 

“This licence is our gateway to Africa - it will really open the doors to any regulated African country. It has given us the knowledge and the contact points to be in the region so this is the first step for Altenar’s expansion in Africa.

“It is very interesting that the first licence we attained for Africa was in a place where there is a very famous cape that was called Cape of Storms and currently is called Cape of Good Hope, and we do expect that after passing the licensing challenges, a hopeful future shines in Africa.”

Altenar has also been granted a supplier licence by the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA), marking the provider’s entry into the newly regulated market.

Obtaining the DGA licence involved a thorough evaluation process, with Altenar now able to partner with and offer its award-winning solutions to licensed operators after the regulated market went live at the start of January.

Neiva added: “Securing the Danish B2B supplier licence represents a significant milestone for Altenar as it is one of Europe’s top 10 online betting markets with plenty of opportunity for growth.

“We are excited to bring our award-winning sportsbook solutions to Danish players and remain committed to delivering further exceptional products and services that appeal to new audiences in the jurisdictions.”