Online betting company betPawa is owned by Mchezo Limited.
The gaming technology platform used by the betting brand is offered by PawaTech, an organisation associated with Mchezo.
Before growing to the current 11 countries on the continent, it was first introduced in Uganda in 2014. Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Benin are among the countries where it conducts business.
The company uses technology to make dreams come true while providing entertaining and responsible gaming.
Only PC and smartphone devices can be used for betPawa’s operations, and users can only make deposits and withdrawals using mobile money. With its minimal minimum bets and 100% Win Bonus, betPawa’s slogan is “Bet small, win BIG.” Sportsbooks, Jackpots, Virtual Sports, and casinos (referred to as games in some countries) are some of its products.
Mchezo Limited, based in Rwanda, is the owner and operator of the betPawa brand. Because the brand has agreements with regionally recognised businesses to operate in each territory, local investors have the opportunity to own a piece of the gaming market in their home nations.
BetPawa’s roots can be found in Danish businessman Kresten Buch’s seed fund, 88mph. The firm acquired a small investment in Mbet, a sports betting startup based in Uganda, in 2014.
The brand soon moved to Kenya the next year after beginning operations in Uganda. Nigeria and Zambia had betPawa available in 2017; Ghana and Tanzania followed in 2018. Since then (as of the writing of this in 2023), the brand has increased its presence in 11 different African markets.
As of right now, Kresten Buch still serves as group CEO.
Mchezo, owner of betPawa
As of 2023, Mchezo Limited, a Rwandan business with headquarters in Kigali, is the owner of the betPawa name. Moving the betPawa headquarters to Africa has been part of a long-term strategy to boost local employment and African ownership.
Ntoudi Mouyelo was chosen to serve as the inaugural Managing Director of Mchezo and the group’s Chief Commercial Officer in April 2023. For three years, Mouyelo held the role of Chief Investment Officer at the Kigali Financial Centre, a government-sponsored organisation created to promote Rwanda as a top financial location for investments in Africa.
A 100-person office will be created in Kigali to facilitate the setup of the operational headquarters and serve the Pan Africa customer care team. Beyond the services hub, the group employs over 300 young people across the continent through local licenced operators.
In 2022, betPawa launched an initiative in which $2 million in shares were given out, turning 200,000 of its most devoted customers into Mchezo shareholders.
Partnerships and Sponsorships
The first music accelerator programme, Empawa Africa, which featured the creation of 100 music videos from up-and-coming African artists, was sponsored by betPawa in 2018. The Afrobeat musician Mr. Eazi is the creator of Empawa Africa.
In 2021, he appeared in numerous international TV commercials for the business, and in 2022, he served as their official brand ambassador. Oluwatosin Ajibade, better known as Mr. Eazi, is another local licence holder in Ghana.
In 2022, betPawa acquired the naming rights to the Ghana Premier League and became its title sponsor. The Locker-room bonus was a novel incentive programme designed to inspire players and raise the level of competition in the betPawa Premier League in Ghana for the 2022–2023 season.
In June 2023, they announced a sponsorship deal with FERWABA, Rwanda’s basketball regulatory body, for RWF 405.5 million (USD 355,000). This sponsorship made them the official sponsor of the country’s national basketball league.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Maseru, the first People’s Cup was held. BetPawa sponsored the event. The Lesotho Premier League management committee’s idea, which received support from betPawa, was a success, enabling the League to enhance prize money for the top four teams.