Sports
From France to Africa: How One Analyst Is Rethinking Gambling Comparison in Emerging Markets
An interview with Maxime Lebail, Brand Manager at ChampsBase.com, on regulatory challenges, local trust signals, and why the African iGaming market requires a different approach.
The online gambling industry in Africa is booming. With increasing smartphone penetration, a young population, and evolving regulatory frameworks, markets like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa have become prime targets for international operators. But as the sector grows, so does the need for reliable, localised information.
We sat down with Maxime Lebail, Brand Manager at ChampsBase.com, a multilingual gambling comparison platform, to discuss the unique challenges of building trust in emerging markets and why a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work.
BusinessPost: ChampsBase is relatively new to the African market. What made you decide to expand here?
Maxime Lebail: Honestly, it started with frustration. When we looked at the gambling comparison space in markets like Nigeria, we found two extremes — either global platforms that barely acknowledged local realities, or local sites with questionable editorial standards. There was a gap for something in between: rigorous, research-driven content that actually speaks to Nigerian players specifically.
The African market isn’t a monolith. A player in Lagos has different needs, different payment habits, different concerns than someone in Nairobi or Johannesburg. We wanted to build something that reflected that.
BP: What does “localisation” actually mean in practice? Is it just about translation?
ML: Translation is maybe five percent of the work. Real localisation means understanding what builds trust in a specific market.
Take Nigeria as an example. Bank transfers and USSD payments matter far more than credit cards. Players want to know if an operator has a local presence, if withdrawals actually work, if customer support understands their issues. These aren’t things you can fake or copy from a European template.
We’ve spent considerable time analysing which operators genuinely serve Nigerian players well — not just who has the flashiest welcome bonus. That research feeds directly into resources like our guide to the best betting sites in Nigeria, which we update regularly based on real user feedback and our own testing.
BP: The regulatory landscape in Africa is fragmented, to say the least. How do you navigate that?
ML: It’s complex, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Nigeria has made significant progress with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, but enforcement remains inconsistent across states. Other markets are even more ambiguous.
Our approach is conservative. We only feature operators that hold valid licences in the jurisdictions they operate in. If the regulatory status is unclear, we flag it explicitly. Players deserve to know the risks.
I think there’s a tendency in this industry to chase growth at any cost, but that creates long-term problems — for players and for the industry’s reputation. We’d rather build slowly and maintain credibility.
BP: You mentioned trust earlier. Gambling comparison sites don’t always have the best reputation. How do you address that scepticism?
ML: By being transparent about how we operate. Yes, we earn commissions when players sign up through our links — that’s the affiliate model, and we don’t hide it. But editorial independence is non-negotiable.
Every review follows the same methodology. We test registration processes, deposit and withdrawal speeds, customer support responsiveness, bonus terms — the boring stuff that actually matters. If an operator performs poorly, we say so, even if they’re a commercial partner.
I’ve been in this industry for over a decade, mostly focused on European markets like Portugal. The operators who succeed long-term are those who treat players fairly. The same principle applies to comparison platforms.
BP: What differences have you noticed between European and African players in terms of behaviour or expectations?
ML: Mobile is everything here. In Portugal or France, desktop still has a significant share. In Nigeria, we’re talking about ninety percent mobile traffic, often on lower-bandwidth connections. That changes how we structure content — shorter paragraphs, faster-loading pages, information hierarchy optimised for small screens.
There’s also a different relationship with sports. Football is universal, but the depth of engagement with local leagues, with the Premier League, with betting as a social activity — it’s intense in ways that European markets have somewhat lost. That passion is exciting, but it also means we have a responsibility to promote responsible gambling practices clearly.
BP: Speaking of responsible gambling, that’s often treated as an afterthought in emerging markets. What’s ChampsBase’s position?
ML: It can’t be an afterthought. We include responsible gambling information in every guide, every review. We explain how self-exclusion works, how to set deposit limits, where to find help if gambling stops being fun.
Is it glamorous content? No. Does it generate clicks? Not really. But it’s the right thing to do, and regulators across Africa are increasingly paying attention to this. Operators and affiliates who ignore responsible gambling now will face problems later.
BP: What’s next for ChampsBase in Africa?
ML: Deeper coverage of more markets — Kenya and South Africa are priorities for this year. We’re also investing in more educational content. Not everyone who visits a comparison site is an experienced bettor. Many are curious newcomers who need guidance on basics: how odds work, how to verify an operator’s licence, how to manage a betting budget.
If we can be the platform that helps someone make informed decisions rather than impulsive ones, we’ve done our job.
Maxime Lebail is the Brand Manager at ChampsBase.com, a multilingual gambling comparison platform covering regulated markets in Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federation of the International Football Association (FIFA) will not proceed with its proposal to sell a piece of its business operations to outside investors after the project was met with fierce resistance from some of its member associations.
FIFA’s plan was to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20 per cent stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup, valuing it at $20 billion.
The proposal was strongly opposed by the Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA), European football’s governing body, which voted on Thursday to boycott FIFA competitions. There was also opposition from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the English FA.
In a statement, UEFA said that it was “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret”.
The Switzerland-based organisation’s statement also accused FIFA of putting the sport’s “soul” up for sale.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement announcing the cancellation.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
UEFA welcomed the decision to scrap it but said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership, while AFC, while welcoming the decision, said that it expected any initiative of such magnitude to be discussed with its members in a “timely, transparent and meaningful manner”.
Mr Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned with immediate effect, calling the plan “a bad deal for football”.
FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by Mr Infantino, describing the proposal as a “project of one person”.
The development has now raised eyebrows against the FIFA President, especially his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
The planned FIFA private investment scheme involved Mr Joshua Kushner, the founder of Thrive Capital, who would lead the proposed venture capital group via a fund called Thrive Eternal. He is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump.
Mr Infantino said in April he would seek a fourth term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled to take place in Morocco on March 18 next year.
The deadline for potential candidates to declare in a presidential vote of the 211 members is November 18.
Observers now wonder if there will be fresh competition to the Swiss’ ambition to lead the world’s football authority for another
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will be looking to bounce back when they face Zambia in their second Group C match at the ongoing WAFCON 2026 in Morocco, following a shock 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening game. The defending champions will be hoping to get their title defence back on track with a crucial result against the Copper Queens. All the matches of the tournament air live on SuperSport via DStv and GOtv.
Matchday two opened on Thursday with Senegal securing a 1-0 victory over Kenya, while hosts Morocco followed with another narrow win, defeating Algeria 1-0 to strengthen their position in Group A. The results leave Morocco and Senegal in a strong position as the group stage continues.
Friday, Group B action will see South Africa take on Ivory Coast at 6:00 pm, with the 2022 champions looking to respond after their surprise 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in their opening game. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will be hoping to build on their impressive 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso and maintain their momentum in the competition.
Later at 9:00 pm, Burkina Faso will face Tanzania in another Group B encounter. Tanzania will be looking to continue their impressive start after their opening victory, while Burkina Faso will be searching for a response following their heavy defeat to Ivory Coast.
Saturday brings the next round of Group C fixtures, with Egypt taking on Malawi before Nigeria face Zambia. Malawi will enter their encounter with Egypt full of confidence after their historic 3-2 victory over the Super Falcons, while Egypt will be looking to recover from their opening defeat to Zambia.
The Super Falcons, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back when they face Zambia at 9:00 pm. Nigeria suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening game, while Zambia began their campaign in impressive fashion with a commanding 6-0 victory over Egypt. The encounter presents an important opportunity for Nigeria to get their campaign back on track, while Zambia will be looking to maintain their winning momentum.
Sunday’s action will bring Group D into focus, with Ghana facing Cameroon before Mali take on tournament debutants Cape Verde. Ghana started their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Cape Verde, while Cameroon secured a 2-1 win against Mali. Both sides will be looking to build on those results as the group stage continues.
Matchday 2 Upcoming Fixtures
Friday, July 31
South Africa vs Ivory Coast – 6:00 pm
Burkina Faso vs Tanzania – 9:00 pm
Saturday, August 1
Egypt vs Malawi – 6:00 pm
Nigeria vs Zambia – 9:00 pm
Sunday, August 2
Ghana vs Cameroon – 6:00 pm
Mali vs Cape Verde – 9:00 pm
SuperSport Brings All the Live Action
Catch every match of WAFCON Morocco 2026 live on SS Football (Ch. 202, GOtv Ch. 61) and SS Football Plus (DStv Ch. 202) on DStv and GOtv. Fans can also stream every match live on DStv Stream from ₦6,000, with no decoder or dish required.
Beyond WAFCON, sports fans can also catch the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, which is live every day on SuperSport across DStv and GOtv. New customers can get a DStv decoder, dish and one-month Compact subscription from ₦15,000, while existing customers can reconnect from ₦6,000 on DStv or ₦5,800 on GOtv. To subscribe or reconnect, visit DStv.com or GOtvAfrica.com, dial *288#, or use the MyDStv or MyGOtv app.
Serie A enters the 2026/27 season at a fascinating crossroads, where continuity and upheaval collide. Inter Milan stand as defending champions, but beneath their stability, the rest of Italy’s elite have been reshaped by sweeping managerial changes, bold transfers and renewed ambition. The result is a title race that feels wide open, despite Inter’s position at the summit.
Cristian Chivu remains the anchor of Inter’s project, a reward for delivering the club’s 21st Scudetto and restoring their dominance in Italian football. His extension signals belief in a long-term vision, built on tactical clarity and a unified dressing room. Yet the champions are not without questions. A defensive reshuffle following key departures adds an element of uncertainty, and how quickly Chivu can rebuild that foundation may define Inter’s title defence. Still, with the attacking core that powered last season’s triumph intact, they begin as the benchmark.
The challengers, however, are where the intrigue truly lies. Napoli turn to Massimiliano Allegri following Antonio Conte’s departure, a shift that suggests a move back toward pragmatism and control. Allegri’s experience is undeniable, but adapting quickly will be essential in a league that is evolving tactically. Meanwhile, AC Milan have undergone a dramatic reset of their own. Allegri’s exit after a disappointing campaign paved the way for Ruben Amorim, whose appointment represents a decisive break from the past and a commitment to a more modern, dynamic style. The arrival of Gonçalo Ramos adds firepower to a side desperate to reassert itself.
Roma may be the quiet contenders. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, they found rhythm and identity late last season, and crucially, they have chosen continuity over change. That decision could prove invaluable in a campaign where many rivals are still adapting. The permanent signing of Donyell Malen strengthens their attacking options, and if momentum carries over, Roma could emerge as genuine title disruptors.
Elsewhere, Juventus have moved decisively in the market, securing Loïs Openda after a successful loan spell. It is a statement of intent from a club eager to return to the summit. Lazio, under the fiery leadership of Gennaro Gattuso, promise intensity and edge, while Bologna’s appointment of Domenico Tedesco reflects a growing trend toward progressive, tactically flexible coaches across the league.
This is, unmistakably, a season defined by the dugout. Serie A is experiencing one of its most diverse and youthful coaching landscapes in years, with a new generation of ideas reshaping the competition’s identity. Systems are evolving, pressing structures are becoming more aggressive, and stylistic contrasts between teams are sharper than ever.
At the other end of the table, the return of Venezia, Frosinone and Monza adds fresh narratives. All three clubs know the demands of Serie A, and their recent top-flight experience could prove crucial in the battle for survival. Expect resilience, organisation and the occasional upset as they look to re-establish themselves among Italy’s elite.
Ultimately, the 2026/27 season feels like a turning point. Inter may hold the crown, but the ground beneath them is shifting. New managers, new systems and new ambitions have redrawn the competitive map. In this evolving landscape, reputation alone will not be enough. The Scudetto race is no longer just about who is strongest… it is about who adapts fastest.
The 2026/27 Serie A’s top five transfers (so far)
– Goncalo Ramos – Paris Saint-Germain to AC Milan – €74 million
– Rasmus Hojlund – Manchester United to Napoli – €44 million
– Donyell Malen – Aston Villa to Roma – €25 million
– Lois Openda – RB Leipzig to Juventus – €43 million
– Aleksandar Stankovic – Clubb Brugge to Inter Milan – €23 million
Five facts/stats for the 2026/27 Serie A season
– 20 teams, 38 games each – the classic Serie A format remains unchanged.
– Inter are defending champions, chasing back-to-back Scudetti under Cristian Chivu after last season’s title win.
– Three promoted sides – Venezia, Frosinone and Monza return to the top flight.
– Season kicks off on 22 August, with Inter hosting Monza in the opening set of fixtures.
– This will be the 125th season of top-tier Italian football.
