Latest African Betting News
440 million people across Africa bet on sport, and the rules are changing faster than most punters can keep up.
Africa’s betting industry is changing fast. Ten countries sent teams to the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria’s moved from one regulator to 22, Kenya’s mid-transition to a new gambling authority, and South Africa’s weighing a tax that could tighten your odds. We track the stories that affect your money and your bets.
Africa’s betting market hit $17.6 billion in 2025, with over 440 million active bettors across the continent. This is where we cover what’s changing across regulation, operators, tournaments, and the data behind it all. You’ll find our latest stories below. For tips and strategy, head to the AfricaBetTips homepage.
Regulation Changes That Affect Your Bets
If you bet in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, or Ghana, the regulatory ground shifted under you in the last twelve months. Nigeria went from one federal regulator to 22 state-level authorities. Kenya’s mid-transition between gambling bodies. South Africa’s weighing a new tax on operators. And Ghana scrapped the tax on your winnings entirely.
Nigeria: The Supreme Court struck down the federal betting regulator in November 2024. Now the FSGRN runs licensing across 22 states through a Universal Reciprocity Certificate system. Lagos introduced its own 5% withholding tax on online betting winnings in February 2026, so check what’s coming off your payouts.
We cover the full picture in our guide to betting sites in Nigeria.
Kenya: The new Gambling Regulatory Authority took over from the BCLB on 28 February 2026, with a new licensing framework expected before June 2026. There’s a moratorium on new licence applications while the transition plays out, and the excise duty on deposits dropped from 15% to 5%.
For operator options in Kenya, check our guide to betting sites in Kenya.
South Africa: A proposed 20% national tax on online gross gaming revenue could push operators’ combined rate to 26-29%. The National Gambling Board launched a verification portal to check whether your operator is licensed. Worth using, because 62% of online gambling in SA comes from unlicensed operators, according to the South African Bookmakers Association.
Read our breakdown of betting sites in South Africa for the full picture.
Ghana: The Gaming Commission abolished the 10% withholding tax on betting winnings in April 2025. If you’re betting from Ghana, you keep more of what you win.
Operators and Market Moves
The operator map is shifting. Super Group, Betway’s parent company, reported $2.2 billion in revenue for 2025, with its Africa portfolio accelerating 27% year-on-year. 1xBet picked up African Sports Betting Operator of the Year at AGE Africa 2026 in Lagos. And Betano entered Ghana, marking the second African market for one of Europe’s biggest operators.
SportyBet continues to be one of the fastest-growing bookmakers on the continent. And we’re watching the data-free betting expansion closely. Operators like Betika, OdiBets, Hollywoodbets, BetKing, and Betway now offer zero-data betting through agreements with telcos, which means you can place bets without burning through your data bundle.
One to watch: Super Group launched a ZAR-pegged stablecoin called Supercoin for its Betway brand in Africa.
We review all major African operators in detail. Start with our full guide to betting sites in Africa.
The Numbers Behind African Betting
Africa’s the fastest-growing betting market on the planet, and the integrity numbers are better than most people think. Here’s the snapshot, and one stat that might surprise you if you’ve heard the “match-fixing in Africa” line too many times.
| Country | Market Size (2025) | Key 2026 Change |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | $3.3 billion | Proposed 20% online GGR tax |
| Nigeria | $1.1 billion | FSGRN / 22 state regulators |
| Ghana | $883 million | 10% WHT on winnings abolished |
| Kenya | $678 million | BCLB → GRA transition |
The continental market is growing at 17% annually, faster than any other region globally.
Africa accounted for just 9% of global suspicious betting alerts in Q1 2026, with 6 of 70 worldwide. Europe? 28%. North America? 20%. Those numbers come from the International Betting Integrity Association’s quarterly report. The six African alerts were linked to football in Burundi, Ghana, and Nigeria, and tennis in Egypt.
Why This Matters to You
Every regulatory change, every operator launch, every tax tweak lands in your pocket one way or another. Regulation decides whether your operator is legit. Tax changes decide what you take home from a win. Operator moves decide what apps, odds, and payment options you’ve got.
Over 91% of African bettors place their bets on mobile phones. That’s not a trend, it’s the infrastructure. And it’s why we cover everything through the lens of what affects your betting, not what makes for a good conference presentation.
We’re building out coverage across strategy guides, World Cup 2026 betting, and operator reviews. Start with the AfricaBetTips homepage to see our latest tips and guides.
Ten African teams are heading to the 2026 World Cup, a record that’ll reshape betting markets across the continent. We’ll be covering every angle.
This is where we’ll be posting every new story. We read the trade press so you don’t have to.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, visit our responsible gambling page for free support resources.