The Evolution, Popularity Of Gambling Across Africa

Africa is a continent with a rich history. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been hit with the development rate like some other parts of the world have. Despite not having a head start, Africa is slowly catching up. A few popular trends in all parts of the world are slowly reaching the Dark Continent.

With each passing day, Africa is opening its arms toward online gambling and cryptocurrencies.

As we said, this continent is trying to embrace trends such as mobile gaming, online and crypto casinos, and cryptocurrencies in general. These days, you can’t imagine playing online games without the presence of Bitcoin or blockchain technology. So, while we’re waiting for the BTC craze and the development of online gambling to hit full speed in Africa, we will look at the current gambling outlook on this continent.

South Africa

Without a doubt, South Africa is the most significant African gambling market. According to reports, SA holds 50% of the gambling revenue on a continental scale. The favorite form of betting for the South African population is sports betting. A quarter of the total industry is tied to sports betting. Due to the 2004 National Gambling Act, online gambling is forbidden at the moment, with sports and horse betting allowed at the moment. The work on changing regulations is underway, and once it changes, we can expect a spike in the presence of online gambling establishments. Various surveys show that tabletop games such as poker and baccarat would quickly find their fans among the South African crowd.

Kenya

Kenya is another fertile land for online gambling. Unlike SA, it has its arms open to online gambling. Inside its capital, Nairobi, and in the broader area of Kenya, plenty of land-based casinos offer an entire repertoire of table and slot games. This is why Kenya is a popular country in terms of gambling tourism. It is the home of the first crypto casino bitcasino.io in Africa and is truly a leader in online gambling on the African continent. While games such as poker, blackjack, baccarat, or craps are widespread in Kenya, it is still more than devoted to sports betting. Statistics show that more than 7 million Kenyans are betting on sports.

Due to the popularity of online gambling and sports betting in this country, the authorities have increased the taxes, making some players leave the market. However, with more technological advancements, we expect the situation to change in the foreseeable future. After all, every crypto casino operates with Bitcoin, and blockchain technology offers players safety, security, and anonymity, making it an ideal entry player for any market while we wait for regulations.

Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, making it a fertile soil for the development of online gambling. Of course, Nigeria is a leader in the land-based casino industry, with some of the continent’s biggest casinos finding their place in Lagos. The same is true in Kenya and South Africa; despite the popularity of games such as poker and blackjack, the supreme ruler remains in sports betting. This industry rakes in more than 42 billion a year in revenue. While online gambling and cryptocurrencies are penetrating the market, not even the omnipotent Bitcoin is making the authorities budge in Nigeria as they have two regulatory agencies fighting for licenses and gathering all associated costs, making the issues of operating a crypto casino almost impossible. Yet, the bettors remain enthusiastic, and their energy will surely continue the expansion.

Ghana

We’re finally in the clear waters of African gambling regulations, with Ghana being the only country with a fully regulated gaming industry. The best part is that they have had laws since the 1960s. The most popular games in Ghana include the national lottery and slots. While sports betting remains popular, Ghana is more than open to foreign influence in terms of online casinos and the games they provide. No regulations are set for online casinos, and Ghanaians can open an account and gamble with their fiat or cryptocurrency on any platform they like. According to Ghanaian authorities, there are 283 online gambling websites present on their territory, and more are welcomed.

Tanzania

Another highly populous country, Tanzania, is home to over 65 million people. When you consider English one of the official languages, you understand it is easy for online sports betting and gambling outlets to enter the market. The country is working on making it easier for online casinos to grow. Technology is on the rise in Tanzania, and with a significant presence of high-speed internet and modern technology, it is expected that Tanzania will soon become one of the leaders in the domain.

Bottom Line

While Africa is currently behind Europe, Asia, and America in the development of technology needed for more straightforward implementation of online gambling and crypto casinos, and that’s perceived as bad, it also offers a good side to the story. With everything in this domain being new for the population, it has more potential to stick and grow fast. Africa has always been fertile for economic growth, but the lack of investments always hinders the continent. Since online gambling platforms operate on accessible technology, it is only a matter of time before they reach all corners of the continent and make Africa as connected as the rest of the world.

Source: independent.ng

About Post Author

Samuel

I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos.

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Samuel

I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos.