Supplier News
South Africa – ICE Africa confirms John Kamara as Event Ambassador
By Phil - 15 August 2018
Clarion Gaming has appointed John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa, as Event Ambassador for ICE Africa, as the event positions itself to drive development across the region and bring the whole African Gaming Continent together when it opens between October 24 to 25 at the Sandton Convention Centre, South Africa.
Mr. Kamara said: “The key objective is to showcase ICE Africa as the go-to event which will help develop and bridge the gap between Africa and the rest of the world in terms of gaming. For myself as Ambassador, I am also keen to work with Clarion Gaming to promote the value of the African market and the opportunities that abound across the continent.
He highlighted that the region is 52 nations with 1.6bn people, 68 per cent of whom are under the age of 27.
“Since ICE London, the region has actually grown again and is currently about 55 nations strong,” he explained. “Africa is the only emerging market that is growing at double digits at the moment globally. The key trend in Africa at the moment is the growth in the FinTech space, Financial inclusion, Blockchain and Intra-Africa trade. All of this means there will be more disposable income in the African market, which is good news for gaming. People were extremely excited about the event as a gateway to unlocking the African market for each one of them.”
He explained that the Financial (FinTech) sector was a key sector driving different types of growth in Africa and has a direct effect on gaming, because it includes payments and so much more.
“The growth of the entertainment, hospitality and tourism sector is very much targeted at youths who are the number one drivers of gaming growth in Africa,” he explained. “With regards to Blockchain, we are seeing a number of dynamic decisions being made by African governments to include Blockchain in growth and development, so this bodes well for multiple sector growth in Africa. Regulators can benefit by hearing from operators and also explaining a number of new regulations or changes in licensing and other processes that have happened in a number of countries. ICE Africa is also a place that regulators can use to instil the much-needed confidence operators need to hear about their markets and laws going forward.”
