Skulls Up

What is Skulls Up?

Richards tells iGB the deal is expected to be completed around the end of September and provides GiG with a “profitable, cash-generative B2C operator” and a footprint in some of Africa’s fastest-growing regulated markets.

Additionally, it gives GiG a “strategic bridgehead” for its core B2B business, the CFO says.

“That dual value is really the point of the deal,” he explains. “Owning a leading local operator gives us direct, ground-level insight into regulatory developments, player behaviour and payment infrastructure across several African markets, insight that is very difficult to build from the outside.

What is Skulls Up?

Speaking during an interview on his appointment published via Allwyn’s Linkedin page, he said he had worked on player protection “from every angle”.

Rodano’s appointment reflects Allwyn’s commitment to enhancing responsible gaming as an integral part of its growth strategy, the company said in a statement announcing the move.

The company’s existing businesses have achieved Level 4 accreditation under the World Lottery Association’s responsible gaming framework – the highest possible level.

About Skulls Up

Botswana’s regulated betting market has expanded quickly following the Gambling Authority’s 2023 process to license bookmaker and totalisator operators, including online betting subject to regulatory approval.

In January 2024, before locally licensed online operators were active, the Authority said it had recorded about 510,000 monthly cases of Botswanans participating in illegal online gambling.

Sunbet Botswana launched its online sports-betting platform in February 2025 and reported a 4,700% increase in sign-ups during its first month. As this was an operator-reported figure, the company did not publicly disclose the comparison baseline or absolute number of registrations.