Mr Eazi-backed betPawa launches in Mali as Africa’s gaming market expands

Africa’s online betting industry is moving into a new phase of expansion, and Mali is becoming part of the next growth frontier.

• Choplife Gaming has secured approval to launch betPawa in Mali, expanding its footprint to 10 African markets.
• The move gives the Mr Eazi-backed company entry into one of Francophone West Africa’s largest youthful populations.
• Africa’s gaming industry is growing rapidly due to smartphones, mobile money adoption, and rising digital entertainment demand.
• Mali’s approval signals growing regulatory openness to structured online gaming businesses across the region.

Choplife Gaming, the African gaming company chaired by Nigerian musician and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, has secured regulatory approval to launch the betPawa platform in Mali, extending its licensed footprint to 10 countries across the continent.

The approval from PMU Mali, the country’s state gaming authority, gives the company access to one of Francophone West Africa’s largest untapped digital entertainment markets at a time when betting operators are aggressively expanding beyond traditional hubs like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.

The launch shows a wider shift across Africa’s tech and entertainment economy, where companies are increasingly targeting younger, mobile-first consumers with products built around smartphones and mobile money ecosystems rather than traditional banking infrastructure.

For Choplife Gaming, Mali represents more than another market entry.

It is part of a larger race to secure regulatory positions early in African countries where internet penetration, mobile payments, and digital entertainment spending are rising quickly.

Africa’s betting economy is getting bigger

Africa’s sports betting and online gaming industry has expanded sharply over the last decade, fuelled by football fandom, youth unemployment, cheap smartphones, and improving internet access.

Research firms estimate that tens of millions of Africans now participate in online betting activities, with the continent projected to generate billions of dollars annually in gaming revenue over the coming years as regulation becomes more formalised.

One of the biggest drivers behind that growth has been mobile money.

In countries where traditional banking penetration remains low, betting platforms that integrate directly with telecom-based payment systems can scale much faster than international competitors built around debit and credit cards.

That advantage has helped African-built platforms like betPawa gain traction across multiple markets.

The Mali launch will include sports betting, online casino games, instant gaming products, mobile money integrations, and rapid deposits and withdrawals designed for low-friction mobile users.

The company also said it plans to deploy responsible gaming tools and local customer support as part of the rollout.

Why Mali matters

Mali has historically operated a smaller and less commercially developed betting market compared to some neighbouring West African economies.

But the regulatory approval suggests authorities are opening the door to more structured digital gaming operations under official oversight.

That matters because regulated licensing frameworks are becoming increasingly important across Africa as governments seek new tax revenues from digital industries while attempting to control illegal gambling operations.

The country’s large youthful population and growing smartphone penetration also make it attractive for operators looking beyond saturated markets.

Industry observers say Francophone Africa could become one of the continent’s next major battlegrounds for gaming companies over the next decade.

Mr Eazi’s growing business ambitions

The expansion also highlights Mr Eazi’s transformation from music star into a broader African business operator.

Beyond entertainment, the Nigerian artist has steadily expanded into technology, venture capital, and gaming investments through Choplife Group and related businesses.

His company’s partnership with pawaTech in early 2025 significantly accelerated its continental ambitions by giving Choplife Gaming operational rights to the betPawa brand in several African countries.

Before entering Mali, the company had already secured approvals in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia.

That rapid expansion has made it one of the fastest-growing African-owned gaming operators by geographic reach.

Still, analysts say scaling across Africa’s fragmented regulatory environment will require more than speed.

Success will depend heavily on local partnerships, payment integrations, customer trust, and the ability to navigate shifting gambling regulations across different jurisdictions.

Olu Odeneye, chief operations officer of Choplife Gaming, described Mali as a strategic long-term market for the company.

“We are excited to bring betPawa to Mali and grateful to PMU Mali for their engagement and confidence throughout the licensing process,” he said.

“Mali is an important market with a vibrant and youthful population, and we look forward to building a long-term, compliant, and locally relevant gaming platform that creates entertainment, jobs, partnerships, and economic value.”

The company said it would work closely with regulators, telecom providers, payment firms, and local stakeholders as it expands operations in the country.

For Africa’s gaming industry, the bigger picture is becoming clearer: the battle for the continent’s next generation of digital consumers is only just beginning.