888Africa, a joint venture of 888Holdings, has acquired online bookmaker BetLion.
BetLion is headquartered in the Kenyan capital Nairobi and has had licenses in both its founding market and Zambia since 2019.
More recently, it expanded its international reach with a license in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
888 has been pursuing its own expansion strategy in the African market since the launch of 888Africa in March 2022, a joint venture led by former Chief Marketing Officer of The Stars Group (TSG), Christopher Coyne, as CEO.
On the acquisition of BetLion, Coyne said: “This acquisition is a crucial step forward as we aim to create truly unique betting and gaming experiences for players across Africa.”
“BetLion’s talent and technology are perfectly suited to our growth model and ambitions, and will help to further strengthen our offering as we seek to establish market leadership positions across Africa.”
“We are also looking forward to working with our new colleagues and introducing new customers to our local brands,” added Coyne.
888Africa is headquartered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where it holds a local gaming license, along with other licenses in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia.
Robert Chirchir, managing director of BetLion, said: “888Africa is a company with great ambitions on the continent.”
“We are happy to be involved in its exciting growth journey and to support its expansion through our market-leading software and platform and established licenses across the region.”
“We look forward to working more closely with the team and continuing to delight customers with our joint offering,” concluded Chirchir.
About 888Africa and 888Holdings
Headquartered in Gibraltar and listed in London, 888Holdings operates from 15 offices worldwide and employs over 11,000 people worldwide.
The mission is to lead the gaming world in creating the best betting and gambling experiences, bringing unrivaled player moments.
