
Africa is a picturesque continent notorious for its black gold, rich mineral resources, and spectacular wildlife. African folk has always been attracted to sporting activities. The locals have many original sports that European gamblers have never heard about (like donkey racing and savika).
Sports betting has always been in the Africans’ roots, though this niche underwent significant changes over the decades and reached its peak after the Internet boost.
Is online gambling legal in Africa?
This question requires a more complex answer than Yes or No. The African countries divide into three groups based on their loyal approach to gambling:
- Banned: all forms of gambling and sports betting are under a ban.
- Legal: casinos and betting companies legally operate in the region.
- Unregulated: authorities do not forbid, yet not regulate, the gambling industry in the area.
In most cases, a country belongs to one of the groups mentioned above because of religious preferences. For instance, Sudan people are more religious than their Afro-brothers from more Europeanized Morocco. Thus, we won’t find devoted gamblers among the Sudan residents. Strict domestic lawmakers are another reason why gambling is a taboo in some African countries.
The two meaningful changes in the African laws occurred in 1996 and 2004 after the Gambling Acts introduction. The 1996 Act proclaimed gambling activity, including lottery and sports wagering, legal. The 2004 Act put an embargo on the online casinos, though betting operators could escape banning. Online bookmakers can render their services in the continent legally if they have a license from the authorized bodies and pay levies. Bettors do not pay fees from their winning money because the government doesn’t consider it the income source.
Countries that gamble the most
The Internet and mobile tech growth resulted in a colossal craze among African customers on online sportsbooks and casino operators. The convenience of online providers let black bookmakers rest on the bench. Online sport betting has reached a new level on the African territory. Below, we prepared a list of the Savanna countries that gamble most.
South Africa
More than 80% of the entire gambling activity in the Savanna continent belongs to South Africa. Local punters can lawfully enjoy all forms of betting and play beloved games in numerous brick-and-mortar casino establishments. However, online gaming institutions in the region are under an embargo.
Kenya
Kenya is a rare exception to the stringent standards as online casinos are allowed here, alongside online bookmakers and land-based betting shops. Mobile wagering is another genuine love among Kenya players as the dominant share of sports wagers comes from mobile platforms.
Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the trailblazers in its folk’s craze about online gambling (the sector’s revenue is around $45M). The country leaders are loyal to casino owners and local bookmakers, which have corresponding licenses and don’t try to escape taxation. No wonder that Nigeria is the second most-prosperous Savanna area for domestic sportsbooks after South Africa.
Uganda
The country authorities are loyal to online wagering and lotteries. Local gamers can taste different sorts of physical and interactive gambling. The stringent requirement for the brick-and-mortar casinos is to keep the necessary distance from schools and educational institutions. Authorities introduced this rule to shield young people of illegal age from gambling commitment.
Tanzania
Tanzania is rich in its offline casinos assortment with the largest brick-and-mortar Le Grande Casino operating in the capital. The online game providers are also welcome in the country, just as online sportsbooks. Such a loyal approach to casinos and bookmakers resulted in a vast economic boost that Tanzania has reached following the Gambling Act approval.
Morocco
Some would surprise to see this religious country with a dominant Muslim population on the list of the Afro areas that gamble most. However, Morocco is notable for its luxurious land-based casinos that are not worse than in the Neon city Vegas. Online gaming operators, alongside sports betting providers, are also legal in the picturesque Morocco. Domestic punters earn good money on rugby and racing wagers.
Botswana
Botswana has a well-regulated gambling market with online, phone, and physical providers legally operating in the vicinity. The Botswana people can rightfully visit brick-and-mortar casinos to test their luck at various slot machines and place online wagers on the licensed sportsbook sites.
Ghana
Ghana is super friendly toward online gambling, which resulted in an impressive boost to the national treasure over the last few years. Local people may have free access to numerous online and offline establishments that offer world-popular casino games and accept sports wagers. Undeniably, Ghana is one of the most fruitful areas in the Dark Continent for those who dream of getting a mind-blowing gamble experience.
Source: mwwire.com