Now, you may not have considered Africa as one of the main places on the planet for pastimes such as sports betting, online gaming and e-sports. But, it’s quickly coming up on the outside and has the potential to be a market leader. While Africa perhaps lagged behind others in the past, it’s now coming on strong and ready to establish itself on the world scene.
So, the first question that may spring to mind is how Africa has got into this position? Well, Africans love sports such as football, so you could say placing wagers on it is a natural step to take. And, rather than have desktop computers, Africans primarily use smartphones to access the internet, allowing them to place bets, play at online casinos and take part in e-sports whenever is convenient.
Countries in Africa such as Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are already fast becoming hotbeds for sports betting. Many citizens are keen to place bets on the English Premier League, which remains Africa’s most popular sporting competition to watch. And, other countries within the continent are showing signs of progress, too, increasing the potential for revenue to the various governments as a whole.
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However, as things stand, because the growth has been fast, governments are now scrambling to find effective ways to regulate the multiple markets Africans are directly engaging in, primarily to keep punters safe and out of the way of harm from cyber crooks. As a result, the natural cycle will see more legislation and regulation released in due course. And in turn, there will be more operators entering the various sectors when they receive the necessary approvals to do so.
Companies like Entain, who own PartyCasino, one of the biggest brands in the world, are thought to be keeping an eye on the African market before making a push to enter when the time is right. As well as PartyCasino, Entain has multiple sports betting operators running under their umbrella to provide the complete service to punters in African nations at the drop of a hat.
As we mentioned above, e-sports is another significant area of interest for Africans. Not only can they take part in e-sports by playing themselves, but there is also a desire to bet on the multiple events that occur worldwide regularly too. And, last month, Entain secured the purchase of Unikrn, an e-sports betting company, which could become a player in Africa if the group accesses the market.
All eyes will now be on the various governments and how they deal with the growth of sports betting, online gaming, e-sports, and the like. If the market continues to move forward and regulations allow, there will likely be an influx of new operators. And this could see Africa realise its potential and become a force to be reckoned with on the world stage where all of the above is concerned.
