Africa is in a period of booming sports betting. What has led to an increase in sports wagering is the rapid expansion of the betting industry. Due to the growing popularity of online sports betting, a large number of Africans are now wagering on major sporting events such as the English Premier League and other popular events.
Certain African countries welcomed online sports betting with their arms open. Others were a little slower to accept this activity online. For example, the Kenyan government has issued several licenses to online betting operators and legalized this activity. According to Samuel Abubakar, Football Betting Specialist from AfricaCasinoHub.com, millions of Kenyans have an account at one or more bookmakers’ sites.
More on online sports betting in Africa
Regardless of their language, race, social status, or religion, the people of Africa have one connection point. They generally adore sports, especially football. Sports betting markets have many opportunities to succeed on the African continent. This continent has a population of over 1.3 billion people and an average age of only 19.7 years. Also, according to the conducted research in the age group of 18 to 40 years, it was determined that 60 million inhabitants of Nigeria are actively engaged in sports. They spend an average of $15 or 3,000 nairas, on wagering per day. (source: AfricaCasinoHub.com).
Data from the South African government indicate that about 50-percent of adult South Africans regularly wager on sports. The situation is the same in central, eastern, and western Africa. Due to the rather lenient laws in the field of the wagering industry, American and European companies are rapidly expanding their business on this continent.
Wagering laws are mostly new in many African countries. Given this, the online wagering markets are not yet fully regulated. South Africa is the only country that has properly regulated its online betting industry.
Many foreign betting companies have focused their services on the African market. Due to the huge competition, betting companies spend a lot of money. It is a fact that Africans are quite passionate about sports, but marketing activities have been of great importance as well.
We will note that the wagering industry also offers employment opportunities. This market provides an opportunity for many Africans from poor regions to find work and start earning money.
Mobile wagering in Africa
With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a rapid increase in online wagering on mobile devices. Traditional sports wagering has been quite limited. Players were unable to place bets at physical bookmakers across the continent.
Also, access to cheaper smartphones, the expansion of the use of internet services, as well as lower data costs have led to a boom in online sports wagering in Africa. The development of mobile payment methods has contributed to the increase in the use of mobile devices as well.
One of the well-known mobile payment systems on this continent is M-Pesa. M-Pesa has been a milestone for many industries since its founding in the 2000s. Live betting is another reason why mobile wagering became so popular. It is a very fast activity during which players can place dozens of bets in a short time. Smartphones are the most suitable for this kind of entertainment, and you can place bets wherever you are.
Last words about sports betting booming in Africa
With the offer of the best bookmakers, booming in online sports betting is inevitable in Africa. There are several reasons why this continent has become the centre of these activities. In the past, wagering in Africa and other countries has been somewhat limited. Now, thanks to modern technology, it is possible to wager at online betting platforms that are available 24 hours a day. You can wager from anywhere, even from the comfort of your home. Another reason is that African betting companies have teamed up with top mobile phone companies. Bookmakers have linked their sports wagering products to mobile payment services and it is beneficial to everyone.
https://guardian.ng/sport/other/online-sports-betting-is-booming-in-africa/