Rwanda regulator suspends Forzza over casino-style games outside licence
2026-07-31
Source: iGaming Business
Rwanda's regulator has suspended Baron Sports Gaming Ltd (Forzza) for repeatedly offering casino-style games beyond its sports-betting licence. The action cuts the country's licensed operator count to 14 as new entrants such as Betway and ForteBet join the market.
Enforcement action
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has suspended Baron Sports Gaming Ltd, which operates under the brand Forzza, after determining that it repeatedly offered casino-style gaming products without the required authorisation.
Announced on Thursday, the suspension takes effect immediately, obliging Forzza to halt all business activity in Rwanda and strip away any related advertising and promotional materials. The RDB confirmed to iGB that Forzza’s licence only covered sports betting, and cautioned that further enforcement measures could follow if the company operates during the suspension period.
Forzza, in a statement to The New Times, said it was surprised by the regulator’s decision and asserted that the RDB had not given it a reason for the suspension.
Market expansion
The action highlights Rwanda’s push to enforce licensing rules strictly while it courts major international operators. Serge Nyombayire, COO of the RDB, told iGB last week that the country had 15 licensed gambling businesses, including a national lottery operator; with the suspension, that count drops to 14.
Rwanda has also been expanding its licensed market. Earlier this month, three new operators received authorisation after the licensing process was opened up. ForteBet and Super Group’s Betway were each granted licences for online sports betting and casino, while ElephantBet was approved for online sports betting only.
Nyombayire said drawing in operators of Betway’s calibre was key to Rwanda’s ambitions for the sector. “So for us, it really showcases that Rwanda is trying its best to really welcome these kinds of companies,” he told iGB, adding that internationally experienced operators could also contribute to drafting the country’s next gambling law and help build a more interactive regulator-operator relationship.