The African market presents an illuminating case study for how the rise of mobile technology can supercharge iGaming potential with a market.
As mobile penetration has surged across the continent, operators have recognised the strategic opportunities on offer for a market that has been described as a “high-speed train that can’t be stopped.
“Ten years ago, online gaming in Africa seemed impossible, and now, it has come to fruition and boasts strong potential,” Dmitry Staroctenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, told iGaming Expert in June.
“When considering the continent’s technology and connection, there are notable limits. However, I don’t think anyone can underestimate the importance of a whole new region with a 1.4 billion population being added to the iGaming map in only a few years.”
Mobile penetration
Major nations such as Kenya and South Africa continue to lead the way in the region, as a GeoPoll study revealed that 82.1% and 73% of respondents from the respective nations had engaged with gambling products.
However, other nations such as Ghana have been name-checked by Super Group, one of Africa’s largest stakeholders, through its Betway and Spin brands, as major growth drivers throughout 2025 – as the firm reported a 37% growth in African iGaming revenue during the third quarter of 2025.
These figures are likely to only grow as mobile usage extends further.
Recent data from Kenya’s Communications Authority underlines these prospects, showing that mobile data subscriptions hit 60.2 million by the end of September 2025, surpassing the country’s population of just over 57 million.
Christopher Coyne, Co-founder and CEO of 888 Africa, explained: “Increasing mobility across populations – meaning more people with access to phones with web services on them – and improving relative wealth across countries has helped power the growth that has come over recent years.”
Tax turbulence
It has not all been smooth sailing for the continent, however. Following trends seen around the world, several African nations have moved to elevate tax rates in a bid to generate extra revenues amid the surges in online gambling popularity.
Most recently, Zimbabwe has announced a rise in operator tax from 3% to 20%, with taxes paid by players on winnings also increasing from 10% to 25%.
Such a decision mirrors touted increases in Senegal and Zambia.
However, these changes have understandably been met with outarge among established operators and players.
BetPawa and Betway unsuccessfully launched an appeal to halt the planned implementation of a 10% excise tax on betting, claiming that it breached Zambian law and was ultimately financially unsustainable.
However, seemingly cementing a future for excise duty in Zambia, the Court decided that the petitioners failed to demonstrate a sufficiently serious constitutional issue to justify suspending the law at this stage.
Meanwhile, underpinning the tangible effects of tax volatility, William Hill confirmed its departure from 13 markets across Africa and Asia, including Kenya, Cameroon, Mozambique and Nigeria.
Regulatory maturation
With increased popularity comes regulatory maturation as lawmakers seek to strengthen protections for players and take control of how the market operators.
Throughout 2025, nations like the Republic of Equatorial Guinea have moved to appoint a regulator to advance the nation’s iGaming market, while more established regimes like Kenya have tightened their regulatory frameworks.
In June, the East African nation announced a major shakeup of advertising standards following a 30-day ad blackout, implementing key rules such as banning the use of celebrities, influencers and content creators to endorse or promote gambling.
All proposed adverts must now be approved by the Betting Control and Licensing Board and be classified by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB).
Looking ahead to 2026, industry experts predict that new nations will come to the fore.
In particular, Coyne predicted back in August that Egypt may well emerge as Africa’s next “super-sized market” as regulations evolve, allowing more operators to enter the country that boasts a population of more than 100 million.
What’s clear is that this is just the beginning for iGaming’s African evolution, and there is much more to come from the globe’s second-largest continent.
