1xBet, in collaboration with SBC Media, has released the International Player Safety Index — Africa, which examines player protection in 13 African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and seven others. The survey was conducted from October 7 to December 12, 2025, among top managers of licensed operators, compliance and responsible gaming leaders, regulatory representatives, and independent experts. This is the second report in the series following a similar study on Western Europe. Key findings highlighted by iGN include:
Comparison with Western Europe
None of the surveyed operators in Africa use AI for player monitoring, compared to 30% in Western Europe. 30% of operators in Africa provide responsible gaming recommendations immediately after a significant win, which is lower than in Western Europe. 75% conduct KYC checks, slightly higher than the 74% in Western Europe. 50% rated the effectiveness of regulation at 6.10 and above, while 60% in Western Europe rated it at 7.
Main Issues
44% of respondents do not see a unified approach to player protection. Operators identified vague regulatory requirements as the main issue. Players perceive gambling as a way to earn money, and operators rated the impact of this factor on player protection at an average of 7.10. 45% of operators dealing with SMS/USSD payments rated the difficulty of tracking gaming activity at 5.10 and above. African markets remain predominantly land-based, and this segment significantly lags in player protection levels. One operator estimated that the illegal segment in Benin accounts for 25-30% of market revenues, with only three licensed online operators in the country.
AI has become the most discussed topic among operators regarding the future of player protection in Africa. Regulators from five countries acknowledged in interviews with SBC that their markets are just beginning to establish responsible gaming systems.
The study identifies a two-tier model in Africa. Nigeria and Kenya are already developing comprehensive player protection requirements, while Benin and the Democratic Republic of Congo are at the initial stage. South Africa still lacks a nationwide self-exclusion system due to competition among provinces for gambling revenues.