An Overview of Africa's Profitable Gambling Nations

One thing that's common to all Africans is a passion for sports. They like participating, watching, and betting on them. Given that Africa is the second-largest continent in the world, we wanted to make a list of African countries that stand out in the gambling market. 

Online Gambling in Africa in a Nutshell

Africa is attractive for iGaming operators for several reasons. 

First, African economies have experienced growth in the past 25 years despite the global health crisis of 2020 that negatively affected the global economy. The predictions are that the region's economy will expand by over 3% in 2022, according to the World Bank.

Another thing making the continent a prospective market for online gambling businesses is the increased internet use caused by the reduced costs of smartphones and data. 

Last but not least, Africans are passionate about sports, especially football. However, (European) football is not the only sport on their favorites list. They also enjoy horse racing, cricket, golf, and rugby, to name a few. 

Laws and Regulations

Aside from watching their favorite teams' matches, Africans love betting on them. However, despite the popularity of sports betting, the gambling space is not regulated on the entire continent. 

In addition, online sports betting raises confusion in terms of legislation as every country approaches it from a different angle, whether social, cultural, or religious. For instance, Tanzania was one of the first countries to regulate online gambling. 

Whether land-based or online, gambling drives many discussions. And so, exactly what the future holds for the industry is yet to be seen, however, current indicators point to the sector continuing to grow. 

African Nations with the Most Passionate Gamblers

South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana are home to some of the most passionate punters on the continent. Below we share what the gambling space looks like in these societies.

Nigeria

With a population of 206.1 million people, Nigeria is the most populous African country. If we take into account that over 30% of adult Nigerian residents gamble regularly, Nigeria is a market not to be overlooked.

These figures are even more impressive when we know that most of that one-third of passionate punters spend, on average, $15 per day on gambling. Sports betting is their passion, especially soccer.

Still, the online gambling space is not entirely regulated. But there are indications that iGaming-related legislation is soon to be passed. The reason: local authorities have acknowledged the impact this sphere could have on the country's financial stability. 

South Africa

According to the National Gambling Board, South Africa's gross gambling revenue (GGR) reached around $2.2 billion in FY 2019/2020, making it the continent's most significant gambling market. 

Although South Africans are passionate punters, the gambling space has undergone many changes regarding legislation. For example, every form of gambling, except betting on horse racing, was prohibited until 1994.

Once the National Gambling Act was put in force in 1996, a new era began. From that moment on, various gambling activities were allowed as long as gambling companies held the permits. 

Considering the period in which it was enacted, it is essential to note that the Act only concerned brick-and-mortar gambling establishments—almost a decade passed before online gambling became a topic.

Fast forward to 2022, with online gambling being partially regulated. In other words, online sports betting is legal; online casinos are not (National Gambling Act of 2004). Therefore, South Africa, the country with the third highest GDP on the continent, is a fertile field for sports betting sites. 

The sports betting market is booming, and it is not tricky for punters to find an operator that meets their needs and preferences. Still, one must be cautious and turn to reliable resources such as www.onlinegamblingsa.co.za to find the best offers in the country.

The National Gambling Board monitors and issues the licenses for online sports betting sites, and operators must first go through the licensing process before entering the market. 

Football is the number one sports adult South Africans bet on, much the same as Nigerians. However, they also like cricket, golf, and rugby. 

Ghana

Ghana may not have the capacity to compete with South Africa in terms of market size. Still, it deserves attention, considering the passion their residents nurture towards gambling and the authorities' efforts to regulate the space. 

In addition, Ghana is among the few African countries that enacted the first gambling laws over a half-century ago. The Gaming Commission of Ghana, established in 2006, is the official governing body issuing and managing land-based casinos and sportsbooks licenses. As for online gambling, international operators dominate the space. 

There's no doubt that the African gambling space will continue to grow. The only question is at what pace, but more and more countries see the industry's benefits and the positive impact it could have on local economies.