- Sbarter introduces a fourth monetisation model in gaming — skill-based competition — offering publishers a compliant, engagement-driven revenue stream without disrupting gameplay.
- It unlocks new economic and cultural opportunities in markets like Nigeria by enabling safe, social, and skill-based gaming that fits local realities and supports digital inclusion.
- Built on audited smart contracts and non-custodial wallets, Sbarter ensures financial safety for players and predictable, scalable income for publishers, making it a credible, regulator-friendly investment in Africa’s digital economy.
Nairametrics: Sbarter is positioning itself as a new layer of economic activity within the gaming industry. How do you define Sbarter’s economic model, and what makes it different from other ways gaming platforms make money; like ads, in-app purchases, or sponsorship deals?
Dominique Cor: Before answering your question, it’s worth clarifying what Sbarter really is.
Sbarter is a protocol that lets players compete in their favourite video games for small, skill-based stakes — safely and fairly. Think of it like real life: when you play darts, cards or pool with your friends, everyone might put a few naira or dollars in the pot, and the winning team buys the next round of drinks. It’s friendly, social, and entirely about skill. Sbarter brings that same spirit into gaming, but in a secure, transparent way that works globally.
Now, to your question: the gaming industry has long relied on three main revenue models — advertising, in-app purchases, and subscriptions. These models have powered growth for more than a decade, but they are showing signs of fatigue. Players are spending more time in games and less money, while publishers are seeking new ways to monetise engagement without disrupting gameplay.
Sbarter introduces a fourth monetisation pillar: fair, skill-based competition.
Every time a contest is played through the protocol, the publisher acts as an oracle — verifying the match result and earning an admin fee. This creates a new, compliant revenue stream tied directly to engagement, not to ads or microtransactions.
What makes this model unique is that Sbarter is the first protocol that rewards publishers for maintaining fair competition. There is no upfront cost, no disruption to game economies, and no change to the player experience. It simply adds a new layer of value on top of what already works.
In short, Sbarter redistributes value back into the gaming ecosystem itself — rewarding skill, not chance. For publishers, it’s a frictionless, low-risk source of recurring income. For players, it’s a fun, legal, and skill-based way to earn rewards in the games they already love.
Nairametrics: While many sectors are slowing down globally, gaming continues to thrive.
What unique economic opportunity is Sbarter unlocking in this space, especially for countries like Nigeria, where youth unemployment remains high?
Dominique Cor: Nigeria’s gaming community is dynamic, talented and rapidly expanding. What Sbarter brings is a safe and transparent way for that community to compete and be rewarded for skill, not chance, not spending power. It’s about giving players a fair, social outlet for competition that fits local realities. It’s also great fun.
The stakes are always modest, a few naira or dollars between friends, so it’s designed to be enjoyable, responsible and accessible to everyone. The emphasis is on recognition and pride, not on financial risk.
Because the compliance systems, KYC, AML and geo-fencing, are built directly into the technology, Sbarter can operate responsibly wherever it launches. And as the model grows, it will create opportunities for local studios, developers and esports organisers to engage audiences through a trusted, skill-based framework.
The wider opportunity here isn’t just economic; it’s cultural. It’s about giving players the tools to participate in a global movement built on fairness, community and genuine competition.
Nairametrics: You’ve described Sbarter as “safe for players and secure for publishers.”In financial terms, what does that safety mean, and how does it translate into real economic value or predictability for users and partners?
Dominique Cor: When we say Sbarter is safe for players and secure for publishers, we are talking about both financial and operational safety. Players’ funds are never held by Sbarter or by intermediaries; they remain in non-custodial wallets, and every transaction is handled automatically by audited smart contracts. That means payouts are instant, transparent and tamper-proof. The system also limits wager amounts to small and capped sums to keep the experience accessible, fun and responsible.
For publishers, the same system provides economic predictability. Because every verified match triggers a small, automated fee, they earn a consistent, low-risk revenue stream that scales directly with engagement. There’s no speculative exposure, no volatility, and no dependency on advertising or external markets.
In practical terms, this model builds trust and stability on both sides: players know their money and results are protected, while publishers gain a new source of income tied to genuine player activity.
Nairametrics: Skill-based gaming introduces a more competitive earning dynamic. How do you ensure that people who engage on Sbarter are genuinely earning from skill, not taking the same risks associated with gambling or speculative trading?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter was built to make competition social, fair and safe. All contests are peer-to-peer, with small, predefined stakes and outcomes decided purely by skill. There’s no chance, no randomness, no odds, and no “house.”
Each publisher defines its own framework, the rules, formats, and maximum stakes — so everything stays within clear limits. It’s the digital version of a friendly game where everyone adds a few coins to make it more exciting.
That’s the idea behind Sbarter: to recreate that social, skill-based spirit inside games, in a compliant and transparent way.
Nairametrics: You’re raising €40 million in Series A funding through a regulated token sale. Can you explain how this funding structure works and how it’s designed to create long-term value, not just quick investor returns?
The goal of this round is to scale what has already been built. The technology is built, the model is proven and now we are ready to bring it to market. The funds will help us expand integrations with publishers, strengthen compliance and payments and prepare for our 2026 launch.
It’s not about short-term returns, it’s about building something that lasts. If we scale responsibly, with trust and transparency, we won’t just prove that skill-based competition can work, we will prove it can become a sustainable part of the gaming economy.
Nairametrics: Nigeria’s economy is increasingly shaped by the crossover between fintech, gaming, and entertainment. Where does Sbarter sit in this mix, and what ripple effects do you expect across these industries?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter sits right at that intersection. Fintech brings the infrastructure and trust, gaming brings engagement, and entertainment gives it cultural reach. Together, they form one of the most dynamic growth spaces in the digital economy. Our role is to make that connection tangible by turning competition into a safe, transparent activity that creates value for everyone involved.
In markets like Nigeria, that combination matters. It transforms gaming into a real digital opportunity that links technology, creativity, and financial inclusion in a practical, scalable way.
Nairametrics: The youth economy in Africa is powered by creativity and digital participation. How is Sbarter helping young people translate digital skills and gaming talent into sustainable income streams?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter isn’t designed to provide a source of income; it’s about bringing back the fun and friendly competition that already exists in gaming culture. Across Africa, young players are deeply connected through games and digital platforms, and Sbarter adds a safe, transparent way to make those challenges more exciting.
It’s the modern version of the friendly wager between friends, a small, skill-based challenge that adds emotion and engagement, without crossing into gambling or risk.
By framing competition around skill, fairness, and social connection, Sbarter strengthens digital communities and gives young gamers a new, responsible way to experience the thrill of competition.
Nairametrics: One of the challenges for blockchain-based platforms is liquidity and adoption. How does Sbarter plan to scale economically in markets where digital finance infrastructure is still developing?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter was built to be accessible even in markets where digital finance infrastructure is still developing. Players don’t need prior blockchain experience or external wallets; everything happens seamlessly within the app, through a non-custodial, compliant system that manages identity, payouts, and verification in the background.
Economically, Sbarter scales through publisher integrations, not through token trading. Every time a match is verified, it generates value for both the publisher and the ecosystem. That means growth isn’t dependent on crypto speculation, but on real gameplay activity. This approach makes Sbarter adaptable to emerging markets: it works wherever there’s gaming engagement, regardless of the maturity of local payment systems.
Nairametrics: The global gaming economy is expected to hit $182 billion this year. What realistic share of that market are you targeting, and what key milestones will help measure Sbarter’s economic footprint?
Dominique Cor: We’re not trying to compete with the entire $182 billion gaming market, we’re creating a new, complementary layer within it. Sbarter’s goal isn’t to replace existing models like ads or in-app purchases, but to unlock a fourth monetisation pillar built around skill-based competition.
In the first phase, our focus is on measurable adoption rather than market share. By 2031, we aim to have 10 million verified users and 150 integrated games across key markets. Each verified match generates transparent, compliant revenue shared with publishers, creating a clear and traceable economic footprint.
Over time, our success will be defined less by percentage of market captured and more by how many players and publishers choose skill-based competition as a trusted, everyday part of gaming.
Nairametrics: We’ve seen a growing interest from investors in alternative digital economies, from play-to-earn to creator finance. How does Sbarter stand out as a credible investment opportunity within this rapidly evolving space?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter is different because it’s grounded in real activity, not speculation. It’s built as a utility-first, regulator-ready protocol, where every transaction is tied to a real, verifiable activity: skill-based competition between players.
From an investment perspective, that means Sbarter’s growth is usage-driven, not hype-driven. Each verified match generates protocol revenue, shared transparently with publishers and the ecosystem.
It’s also structured for long-term governance, with a Swiss non-profit foundation ensuring neutrality, and a token model (SBT) designed for sustainability through fixed supply, vesting, and real utility.
For investors, that combination of regulatory credibility, proven demand, and scalable infrastructure makes Sbarter a rare opportunity to back something both innovative and built to last.
Nairametrics: Regulation is always a big concern, especially for tech platforms that touch finance and gaming. How are you engaging regulators in Nigeria and across Africa to build trust and ensure that Sbarter operates within clear economic and legal boundaries?
Dominique Cor: We see regulation not as an obstacle, but as a foundation for trust. From day one, Sbarter was built to operate within legal boundaries, with mandatory KYC, age verification, geo-fencing, and AML systems integrated at the protocol level.
In markets like Nigeria, where frameworks for gaming, gambling, and digital assets are still evolving, we take a collaborative approach. Our local legal partners engage directly with regulators to demonstrate how Sbarter operates strictly within the skill-based category, with no randomness, no “house,” and no speculative trading.
The goal isn’t to bypass regulation, but to help define a transparent standard for fair, skill-based digital competition. We believe that as more regulators draw a clear line between gambling and skill, Sbarter will stand as a reference model for compliant innovation in Africa’s digital economy.
Nairametrics: Many Nigerians are turning to side hustles and digital platforms for extra income. How does Sbarter fit into that broader story of financial resilience and digital entrepreneurship?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter isn’t about creating income or side hustles, it’s about enhancing how people play and connect. In Nigeria, digital platforms already play a huge role in creativity and entrepreneurship, and gaming is part of that energy.
What Sbarter adds is a safe and transparent layer of friendly competition, the digital version of small wagers between friends, but within a legal, skill-based framework and always with strict wager caps. It brings excitement, recognition, and social connection to gaming, without crossing into gambling or risk.
So while Sbarter isn’t a financial tool, it’s part of the same story of responsible digital innovation, where technology helps people engage, compete, and express skill in new, positive ways.
Nairametrics: Finally, looking five years ahead, what’s your long-term vision for Sbarter’s role in Africa’s digital economy? Do you see it as a niche innovation in gaming, or the start of a larger movement in digital commerce and competition?
Dominique Cor: Sbarter is, first and foremost, an innovation within gaming. Our goal is not to redefine digital commerce, it’s to create a better way for players, creators and publishers to interact through fair, skill-based competition.
By 2031, we want Sbarter to be the trusted layer for skill-based competition across major markets, including Africa — a region that’s already proving how quickly young players adopt new digital models.
Over time, this can help build a more balanced ecosystem inside gaming. Publishers remain in control of their games: they set the rules and protect the player experience. Creators use that framework to design their own contests and events, bringing communities together in new ways. By aligning publishers’ oversight with creators’ social energy, Sbarter makes competition both fair and vibrant and offers an ecosystem where engagement is driven by fun, and value comes from skill.