Privacy policy

Cowrie Africa is operated by Press Xpress Limited (“Cowrie”, “we”, “us”). We run a parimutuel prediction market at cowrieafrica.com. This policy explains how we handle your personal data under Ghana’s Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) and related guidance from the Data Protection Commission.

Data controller: Press Xpress Limited
Contact: support@cowrieafrica.com · +233 24 146 0181

When you register and use Cowrie Africa, we may collect:

• Identity & contact: full name, email address, Ghana mobile money (MoMo) number, and MoMo network (MTN, Telecel, or AirtelTigo).
• Account security: password stored as a one-way hash (we cannot read your password) for sign-in and withdrawal confirmation.
• Wallet & activity: wallet balance, ledger entries (deposits, stakes, payouts, adjustments), prediction history, and deposit references.
• Technical data: session cookies, IP address, browser type, and timestamps needed to secure the service and prevent abuse.

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis, including:

• Contract: to create and operate your account, process stakes, and credit winnings.
• Consent: you agree to this policy and our Terms when you register (you may withdraw consent for optional processing where applicable; core account processing may still be required to close your account lawfully).
• Legal obligation: to meet gaming, anti–money laundering, tax, and regulatory requirements in Ghana.
• Legitimate interests: fraud prevention, platform security, dispute resolution, and service improvement — balanced against your privacy rights.

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with trusted processors that help us run the platform, under contracts that require them to protect your information:

• Paystack — MoMo wallet deposits and payment verification.
• Google Cloud — hosting and database (our production infrastructure is in the EU region).
• Sentry — error monitoring and performance diagnostics (may include technical session data when something fails).
• Google Sheets (if enabled) — optional registration backup for operations (name, email, MoMo number, and tier only).

We may also disclose information where required by law, court order, or a competent authority such as the Gaming Commission of Ghana or law enforcement, when permitted under Act 843.

We keep personal data only as long as needed for the purposes above, including:

• Active accounts: for the life of the account and related wallet/ledger records.
• Regulatory & financial records: typically up to seven (7) years after the relevant transaction or account closure, or longer if Ghana law requires.
• Security logs: for a limited period appropriate to fraud investigation and system integrity.

We use technical and organisational measures appropriate to the risk, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls on admin systems, and audit logging for sensitive operations. No online service can guarantee absolute security; please keep your password and devices safe.

Under Ghana’s Data Protection Act, you have rights including:

• to know what personal data we hold about you;
• to request access to your data (subject access request);
• to request correction of inaccurate data;
• to object to certain processing where the law allows;
• to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission.

To exercise your rights, contact support@cowrieafrica.com from your registered email or with your registered MoMo number. We aim to respond within 40 days, as required for access requests under Act 843.

Cowrie Africa is for adults aged 18 and over only. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has registered, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in (customer and admin sessions). We do not use third-party advertising cookies on the member journey. You can clear cookies in your browser, but you will need to sign in again.

Your data may be processed on servers outside Ghana (for example, Google Cloud in the EU). Where this occurs, we rely on appropriate safeguards and processor agreements consistent with Act 843.

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Effective” date at the top will change when we publish a new version. Continued use of Cowrie Africa after an update means you accept the revised policy, unless the law requires separate consent.