Online gambling on the rise across Africa

Online sports betting has seen the gambling industry growing steadily across Africa, and governments are scrambling to catch up on the regulatory front.

Head of Statistics the University of Venda in South Africa, Dr Alphonce Bere, tells The Southern Times that the proliferation of smartphones and aggressive marketing by betting companies has seen increasingly more people gambling online, with wagers on sporting events the firm favourite of punters.

“Sports betting is more popular today in the continent than it was two years ago. Most African punters have user accounts on international online betting platforms that have operations in numerous jurisdictions. Currently, sports betting in Africa mainly features bets on football and horse racing. There is a lot of interest in horse racing in North Africa that dates back to the 15th century. Africans have been betting on football for more than 70 years now,”  – Dr Bere says.

He adds that in 2018, the gambling and gaming industry in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa reached US$40 billion. His research shows that around 60 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 – in a country of around 150 million people – participate in different forms of sports betting, with the average wager per person at US$15 daily.

“Unlike other African countries, South Africa has properly regulated gambling. The gambling laws are not very tough but tolerant for South Africans. The lenient laws have allowed international online sports betting companies to offer their services.”

Unemployment has also contributed immensely to the rise of betting as people take on the odds to make a living.

“The unemployment rate is very high in Africa. With the entry of foreign and local betting companies, youths engage in online sports betting for an opportunity to win big money. Unlike in developed countries, here you can make wagers with as little as US$1, or even less. That makes the playground more suitable for unemployed people”.

According to studies by the South African government, over 50 percent of adults place sports bets online frequently. Dr Bere said that the convenience of mobile money had advanced the march of gambling. And with so many Africans keen on sports on TV, thanks to satellite television and growing Internet penetration, it is no great wonder that a lot bets are placed on football.

Source: southerntimesafrica.com

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