Online Gaming & Betting in Africa & Asia

Yes—platforms must implement:

• KYC at registration or payout

• Risk profiling for players (e.g. based on location, behaviour, payment method)

• Sanctions and PEP screening

• Ongoing monitoring for suspicious betting patterns

Apply tiered due diligence—light checks for low-risk users, deeper checks for high-risk players or large bets. Use automated tools to balance compliance and player experience.

Yes. If your platform involves real money transactions—like online sports betting, casinos, lotteries, or even in-game currencies that can be cashed out—you’re likely required to follow AML and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations in many countries across Africa and Asia.

Some high-risk areas include:

• Use of stolen or fake IDs to open accounts

• Layering (money moved through multiple player accounts or games)

• Use of prepaid cards or crypto to fund accounts

• High-frequency, low-value withdrawals

• Betting as a form of laundering (“win one, lose one” tactics)

Key obligations usually include:

• Verifying player identity (KYC)

• Screening for politically exposed persons (PEPs) and sanctions

• Monitoring player activity for suspicious patterns

• Filing suspicious transaction reports (STRs)

• Keeping records for a minimum number of years 

Even if the platform is offshore, you may still be liable if you target local users.

Only if in-game currencies or rewards can be cashed out, traded, or moved between users. If your app allows peer-to-peer transactions, wallet balances, or third-party purchases, regulators may classify it as a value transfer system.

Best practice is to:

• Collect ID during payout or deposit limits (not at sign-up)

• Use selfie-based identity checks or biometric KYC tools

• Partner with lightweight compliance tools like Anqa that work on mobile

• Only require enhanced checks for high-risk users or large deposits

Watch for:

• Multiple accounts using the same device or payment method

• Players depositing and withdrawing without gameplay

• Rapid movement of funds between accounts

• Gaming from high-risk countries or with VPN use

• Attempts to bypass KYC steps

Yes. Brick-and-mortar gaming establishments—like sports betting kiosks or casinos—are often required to:

• Perform manual KYC

• Monitor large cash transactions

• Keep transaction logs

• Submit STRs to local Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)

Start with:

• Tiered KYC (light checks for small users, EDD for big ones)

• AML logs and risk checklists

• An affordable platform like Anqa that provides CDD, watchlist screening, and training

• A clear policy on user limits, ID triggers, and reporting thresholds