Speedy Growth In Africa But Challenges Remain

Speedy Growth In Africa But Challenges Remain ( Click to Enlarge )

The online casino market continues to grow in Africa with an ever improving infrastructure driving a boom in the number of people playing games like bingo, roulette and blackjack on the internet. But there are still challenges facing operators hoping to increase their presence in the continent.

Growth Forecasts

Certainly, the surge in interest shows no sign of slowing with industry experts forecasting 5% growth year on year until at least 2021. The African market increased by $800m between 2016 and 2017 as more and more people gain access to the internet.

In part, the boom is being driven by the fact that internet-enabled smartphones are becoming more readily available. Mobile casinos, in particular, are benefiting from this trend. The ease of access to gaming sites that smartphones offer means this surge in interest will only continue.

Chinese manufactured phones continue to be imported to the continent in ever-increasing numbers. China has long been a major supplier to the African market and manufacturers like Huawei, offering a quality product at an affordable price, continue to sell phones to Africa in large quantities.

More Payment Options At Online Casinos

There are more African people who have a mobile phone than a bank account. This may have hampered growth in the online gambling market in the past but with mobile payment options becoming increasingly available and commonplace, it’s now easier to deposit funds into online gambling accounts than ever before.

But there remain challenges to online casino operators hoping to cash in on the surge in interest in playing such games on the internet.

South Africa, in particular, has seen a continued rise in the number of people playing casino games online. However, online casinos are still not actually legal in the country and the debate on how to regulate the market continues to rage with restrictive gambling regulations included in a bill being proposed by the government.

The importance of South Africa as a leader in the online casino market in the African continent means the impact of tighter rules may yet be felt in neighbouring countries should the regulations lead to operators leaving the market.

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