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BettyBingo.com is an online bingo and casino site that was once primarily focused on the African continent, including Nigeria, which in a period during the year 2019 delivered Gambling911 its 2nd largest readership audience after the USA as G911's presence grew throughout the African continent. It's important to point out that Gambling911 never endorsed the site.
It was one of the many new bingo websites that cropped up that year.
But as we quickly learned, the regulatory environment in Africa is fast evolving. Some of the larger online gambling websites pulled out of Kenya as an example due to that government's often overbearing position as it applies to the industry. Kenya has by far one of the most lucrative gambling audiences on the African continent especially when it comes to football. Premier League teams have a strong fan base here.
Sites like BettyBingo serve as the perfect illustration of "it all sounds and looks good" but is the site regulated?
African nations lack a strong regulatory body for gaming like that found in the UK for example.
BusyBeeBingo.co.uk recommends that "Bingo sites be tested to ensure they are secure and fully UK Licensed by the UK Gambling Commission" noting that 'the sites (licensed by the UK Gaming Commission) must meet stringent requirements so you know you are playing in a fair environment".
It's not known if Kenya is trying to emulate the United Kingdom or simply desiring a nice revenue stream through taxation perhaps.
Betty billed itself as a community of fun loving bingo, slots and online gaming enthusiasts, pointing out that millions of people around the world play bingo and slots games every day and the sector is one of the world’s fastest growing arms of the online entertainment market. BettyBingo was based out of Nigeria.
We write "was" because today the domain leads to a security warning.
In our May 24, 2019 update Gambling911.com noted that "this bingo site gets many inquiries per day, mostly from Nigeria, but increasingly from other African nations including Ghana. This is likely an indication of the site's growing popularity."
For months the search volume was extremely high but diminished by year's end.
It's indeed possible that one or more of the countries where the site was accessible - Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, United Kingdom, Uganda, Tanzania - began imposing stricter regulations.
As noted above, Kenya is like the "Cybil of Online Gambling Regulators". Each year it seems the government here proposes something new pertaining to the sector.
The latest incarnation of these efforts comes with the Kenya Gambling Control Bill 2023. The bill proposes stringent licensing conditions for gambling firms that includes a 15% tax on gross gambling revenue as well as a monthly fee. Some operators, especially those in the Bingo sector, may be turned off by such a plan.
Another potential turnoff: "Penalties, including fines and imprisonment, are stipulated for violations such as promoting unauthorized lotteries".
Probably not the most embracing message for would-be operators, warning of imprisonment for failure in adhering to policy.
- Steve Cooper, Gambling911.com
