South Africa’s iGaming market is tightening, and operators relying on blanket bonus campaigns are being warned that the model is becoming inefficient and exposed to regulatory risk.

On the latest episode of the iGaming Daily podcast, host Charlie Horner spoke with Henry Ross, Account Executive at Optimove, about how aggressive acquisition strategies are eroding margins in the country’s competitive “land grab” phase.

Ross said many operators continue to push identical offers to their full database, rather than using player data to segment and personalise campaigns. The result is rising acquisition costs and limited long-term loyalty.

Ross stated: “If your strategy is over reliant on one outcome or one channel, you are becoming inefficient over time without really knowing it.”

He added that regulators are likely to scrutinise heavy promotional activity as the market matures. While South Africa’s framework is still developing, Ross argued that operators should anticipate tighter oversight around bonus use and player protection.

A key theme of the discussion was speed. Unlike European markets, which evolved gradually, African markets are becoming data-driven much faster. That means operators cannot rely on outdated, volume-based marketing tactics for long.

Ross stressed that Artificial Intelligence should not be confused with basic automation. Sending messages faster is not AI. Instead, predictive models should analyse behavioural data, identify patterns and optimise decision-making over time.