Africa’s iGaming boom is well and truly underway, but is regulation keeping up? Well, Not quite. Some countries in the continent are forward-thinking, while others have put forward some pretty complicated legislation.
If you’re trying to figure out how different African countries treat iGaming, get ready as no country is exactly alike. Let’s dive in.
Africa’s Emergence of iGaming In Africa
To get started, why has iGaming become the talk of Africa? With ever-growing access to the internet and cheap smartphones in circulation, more people than ever are online. It has created an opening for sports betting, online casinos and more in this tech boom – it’s an expanding industry.
The passion of Africa for sport – and football in particular – has been immense. Online sports betting websites thrive on customers keen to bet on their teams and leagues. This rapid expansion means that, on the continent, governments struggle to strike a good balance between innovation and prudent regulation.
Nigeria: Setting the Trend in Regulation
Nigeria is the first place that comes to mind when you think of iGaming in Africa. The nation is one of the first to regulate the industry and create explicit frameworks that have drawn in local and foreign operators. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has laws for both online and offline gaming.
Sportsbooks are particularly dominant here. There is a betting shop on every street corner, and the move to the Internet only helped the industry. It is Nigeria that is different – rather than burying the industry in endless paperwork, the government has created space for companies to thrive and take revenue through licences and taxes.
That said, challenges remain. Unlicensed establishments are still common, and regulations are being enforced slowly. But, with Nigeria’s fairly advanced regime, it’s a model for other African nations who are trying to implement iGaming laws in the right way.
Despite the issues, many users in Nigeria are featured in 10bet winners’ hall of fame – iGaming here is widespread, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.
Kenya: A Ticking Time Bomb of Opportunity
Another region in Africa where iGaming has boomed is in Kenya. Kenyans are among the most brash bettors in the continent. This has been taken advantage of by gambling sites, and Kenya is now one of the fastest-growing iGaming markets in Africa.
But the regulatory space has not kept up. In recent years, the Kenyan government has come up with a set of policies to control the industry. Among them are punitive taxes on betting revenues and stringent licensing requirements for operators. Ideally, to ensure players are not unfairly excluded from transactions, the current tax rates, say some, threaten to send operators underground.
The reality? Kenya’s iGaming market isn’t leaving. The trick is finding rules that are sustainable and balance growth of industry with player safety.
Ghana: Emerging with Promise
Ghana is quickly becoming one of Africa’s iGaming hot spots. Licensing and regulation are managed by the country’s Gaming Commission and both off-site and internet gambling are legal. Such an explicit jurisprudential framework has attracted operators to Ghana for their expansion into West Africa.
The government has realised the commercial worth of iGaming and is making money from licensing fees and taxes. Meanwhile, they’re trying to take down illegal gambling dens still around. Ghana’s policy seems balanced and encourages industry development while also watching out for regulation and consumer safety.
Africa’s Other Half
Apart from these main players, there are numerous African countries who are still figuring out their iGaming policy. Uganda and Tanzania, for example, have tried to regulate internet betting in recognition of its commercial benefits. Others are more restrained, banning online gambling altogether or keeping the market in a legal grey area.
The problem for the majority of countries is enforcement. In countries with strict laws, unlicensed operators are prone to prosper. That’s why governments, gaming providers and technology vendors must come together to build systems that are just and enforceable.
Conclusion
So, what does the future look like for iGaming regulation in Africa? The signals show expansion and development. With more nations being made to see the economic value of a regulated market, they will follow the lead of Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. It will all boil down to finding the right ratio, one that is just right but doesn’t drive entrepreneurs underground.
Africa’s iGaming sector, for the time being, is still an open book. There are some countries jumping in with a set of specifications and some that wait until the industry is tested. You can be sure – iGaming is not going anywhere and the regulation of iGaming will dictate the future of entertainment and enterprise on the continent. Make sure to gamble safely if you are planning on giving iGaming a try yourself.
