Senior Risk & Compliance Leader — iGaming (Remote)

Initiate; Cape Town; Remote; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Initiate is seeking a Risk & Compliance Manager to protect the business from regulatory, financial and operational risk while ensuring compliance across regulated African markets. You will partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to embed a strong risk and compliance culture in a growing iGaming business.

The role requires strong leadership, regulatory expertise, and a proactive, hands-on approach to operate effectively in a remote, fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in Risk, Compliance, AML, Fraud or a related discipline, ideally within iGaming, online gambling, sportsbook or financial services.
• Strong understanding of African gambling regulations and regulated iGaming environments.
• Practical experience with AML, KYC, CDD/EDD and financial crime controls.
• Experience managing or implementing risk and compliance frameworks.
• Strong understanding of fraud, payments and player risk within an online gaming environment.
• Knowledge of Responsible Gambling principles and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working with gambling regulators and/or supporting licensing and regulatory audits.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to identify trends and emerging risks.
• Excellent understanding of regulatory requirements and the ability to translate legislation into practical business processes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work with senior leadership.
• Highly organised, commercially aware and comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth iGaming environment.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to operate independently in a remote environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the company's risk and compliance framework, ensuring policies, controls and processes are aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and interpret changes in gambling legislation, licensing requirements and regulatory expectations across relevant African markets.
• Oversee AML, KYC, CDD and EDD processes and ensure appropriate controls are implemented and maintained.
• Develop and maintain effective risk assessments, compliance policies, procedures and internal controls.
• Identify, assess and mitigate operational, regulatory, financial and reputational risks.
• Oversee fraud prevention and detection, including suspicious player activity, account abuse and payment-related risks.
• Work closely with payments and finance teams to identify and manage transactional and financial crime risks.
• Ensure effective Responsible Gambling controls are in place, including player monitoring and affordability considerations.
• Manage regulatory reporting, compliance submissions, audits and regulatory correspondence where required.
• Support licensing and regulatory activities across relevant jurisdictions.
• Conduct regular compliance reviews and identify areas requiring improvement.
• Investigate compliance breaches, suspicious activity and risk incidents, ensuring escalation and remediation.
• Provide senior management with clear reporting on risk exposure, compliance performance and emerging regulatory issues.
• Develop and deliver compliance training to internal teams.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure compliance is embedded into day-to-day business operations.

Skills

Risk management

Compliance

AML

KYC

Fraud controls

Regulatory reporting

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Investigative skills

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

Initiate is seeking a Risk & Compliance Manager to protect the business from regulatory, financial and operational risk while ensuring compliance across regulated African markets. You will partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to embed a strong risk and compliance culture in a growing iGaming business.

The role requires strong leadership, regulatory expertise, and a proactive, hands-on approach to operate effectively in a remote, fast-paced environment.