Iyke Bede writes that BetKing’s community investments have become a defining part of its brand identity

Inarguably, the sole objective of any gaming operator is to maximise profit and expand their customer base to cement their dominance in the sector. While many operators pursue different routes to achieve this, BetKing chooses a distinct path, one focused on directly impacting Nigerians in various capacities, spotlighting underserved communities and uplifting unheard voices.

According to BetKing CEO, Gossy Ukanwoke, it is about building a business model that gives value back to people through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, primarily focused on providing basic and essential healthcare, supporting sports initiatives, and driving the economy through direct and indirect job creation via its jobs and entrepreneurship programmes.

“From 2022, when it seemed like we had finally emerged from the major challenges brought on by the pandemic, we began asking ourselves a deeper question: how do we build a business that truly gives value to people?” said Ukanwoke.

That turning point marked the launch of BetKing’s structured CSR framework.

“Before then, our efforts were more scattered — we’d support market women here, build a project there,” he explained. “But from 2022, we formalised it. We developed a full CSR strategy. I believe we were one of the first in this industry, and in this market, to do so at that level of detail.”

Today, BetKing’s community investments have become a defining part of its brand identity.

Ukanwoke said, “When you think about gaming in Nigeria, and then think about CSR, community and social good, BetKing is one of the first names that comes to mind, and that’s because of the scale and consistency of the investments we’ve made.”

Through its annual ‘Month of Good,’ held this year from May 17 to June 17, the operator visited eight states to provide medical supplies to help augment maternal care and nutrition, as well as health checks for the larger population.

“During the month, we did do something called BetKing Cares… our annual Month of Good. So, for a whole month, we will go around the country…,” Ukanwoke explained. “We share food, medical services, medical supplies, equipment, glasses, blood pressure machines, tests, drugs — all of that — to people in at least a minimum of eight states in the country each time we do it.”

He added, “There are people that we meet and we do tests with, and they say they’ve never actually had a medical test done ever. And these are people who are not young — these are people above their 50s. This is the first time they’re doing a comprehensive health check.”

In the sports arena, BetKing has introduced its BetKing Wheelchair Basketball League, a tournament that provides a much-needed platform to showcase para-athletes in this part of the world, preparing them for the global stage while reinforcing BetKing’s commitment to inclusivity.

“We support individual para-athletes in Nigeria today. There’s a number of them that we support. One of the para-athletes that we support has broken about four world records in para sports,” stated Ukanwoke. “Again, para-athletics doesn’t have a lot of the attention and glamour and drama of regular athletics. It doesn’t get a level of attention. But we’re not doing it because of attention — we’re doing it because it means something to us and the players.”

Ukanwoke also noted work done at the grassroots of Nigerian football, paving the way for unlikely stars to emerge and gain visibility, while contributing to the long-term development of local talent pipelines and community engagement.

He said, “We’ve supported football clubs in Nigeria that were little to unknown. I remember the first time Ikorodu City came to meet us. They were like, you know what? You look like a very hungry set of young people who are looking to do something in Nigerian football.”

“At that time, we didn’t have a lot of privately owned football clubs in the Nigerian Premier League. Till now, I think there are only two of them… So we wanted to support them, and we supported them. They started from the third division, entered the second division, and then got promoted into the first division.”

With this level of support provided through these CSR initiatives, Ukanwoke explained that it would be foolhardy to ignore the scourge or impact of irresponsible gaming on the same society it is trying to uplift. With campaigns like ‘Kings Know When to Stop’ and responsible gaming adverts, it is evening the keel, ensuring sustainability in the industry.

“We’ve run television campaigns that actively tell people, ‘Don’t bet.’ The goal was to promote personal responsibility and encourage bettors to stay in control of their habits,” Ukanwoke stated. “It’s important that we’re not just offering a product, but also guiding people to engage with it responsibly.”