The Rise of the Online Betting In Africa

Africa is one of the leading continents with millions of sports fans. Many Africans take part in online sports betting at Betway

Africa is one of the leading continents with millions of sports fans. Many Africans take part in online sports betting at Betway. They wager on athletics, basketball, cricket, football, rugby, and volleyball. African punters bet for fun or to make a profit. New online casinos and sportsbooks have ventured into the African betting market in recent years. Here are five factors that have promoted the growth of online betting in Africa.

1.      The Development of Mobile Betting
Research shows that more than 40 percent of the African population has mobile phones. A huge percentage of them own smartphones. Established bookies have easy to use websites for mobile users. They have different features that enable punters to place a wide variety of bets. Some betting firms stream certain sporting events.

2.      Mobile Money
Mobile money has tremendously grown in Africa since 2000. Leading mobile phone service providers like Safaricom and Airtel have amazing mobile money services such as Airtel Money, Orange Money, and M-Pesa. They have partnered with several betting operators on the continent to offer mobile payment services. As a result, punters who take part in Betway Uganda online betting don’t have to make cash transactions in betting shops. Also, some sportsbooks offer extra payment options like MasterCard, Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill.

Recent statistics show that Nigerian, Kenyan and South African sportsbooks earned close to $37 billion in 2018. A 2017 study in Kenya revealed that two million punters take part in mobile betting. But, most adults in Africa don’t have active bank accounts.

3.      Lenient Gambling Laws
America and Europe are known for their strict sports betting laws. Most African nations have lenient regulations that encourage foreign betting operators to expand into the continent. South Africa has strict gambling laws, unlike other African countries. It regulates the gambling market to prevent fraudsters from conning punters. Some Africans with a high population of Muslims bans all types of gambling. For example, Gambia prohibits its citizens from engaging in casinos, lotteries, and sports betting.

4.      Passion for Sports
Africans are passionate about different sports. Athletics and football are the most popular sports in the region. Rugby is famous in Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Millions of African soccer fans watch Asian, French, England, Italian and Spanish football leagues. Africans wager on other sports like basketball, boxing, car racing, horseracing, and tennis. Betting operators in the continent allow punters to wager on total points and goals, top goal scorers and outcomes of individual sporting events.

5.      High Unemployment
A recent census reveals that more than 200 million Africans are from 15 to 24 years. Most of them aren’t formally employed. Some nations have high unemployment rates of up to 25 percent. It might double by 2055. Many young Africans take part in sports betting to earn money. Online betting earns governments revenue. Also, it creates job opportunities for some people. Some betting firms allow punters to place bets with $1 thus allowing people from different family backgrounds to bet.

Most Africans like watching sports. They follow regional and global sports championships like the Olympics and the World Cup. Also, Africans engage in online betting for fun. They place pre-match and live bets in reputable bookies such as Betway. Renowned betting firms from the United States and the UK have several branches in Africa.