According to a recent report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI), 77% of the Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) from online gambling in Africa is generated by illegal operators. The report, published on July 21, 2024, provides an overview of the online gambling market across all 54 African countries for the years 2024-2025.
The continental market is projected to reach $23 billion in GGR by 2025. Licensed operators are expected to contribute $5.2 billion (23%) of this total, a slight increase from $4.4 billion (22%) the previous year. In contrast, the illegal segment is estimated to generate $17.8 billion (77%), up from $15.6 billion (78%) in the prior year.
Tax losses for African governments due to illegal gambling are projected to be $3.55 billion for 2025, calculated as 20% of the illegal GGR. The number of illegal online operators targeting African audiences has also increased, rising to 4,129 from 3,644 the year before.
In terms of participation, 215 million people (14% of the population) are expected to engage in online gambling in 2025, up from 198 million (13%).
Regionally, North Africa has the highest share of illegal gambling at 99.7%, while West Africa has the highest proportion of licensed operators at 31% ($1.5 billion out of $4.8 billion GGR). Nigeria stands out with a 56% share of the illegal segment, which is the lowest in West Africa, compared to an average of 69% for the region and 77% for the continent.
GCI's CEO noted that while the licensed segment is growing and gaining market share in several countries, the challenge lies in converting demand into the legal market. Despite a year-on-year increase of just one percentage point in the share of licensed operators, the illegal segment grew by $2.2 billion compared to $0.8 billion for the legal segment, with the number of illegal operators increasing by 13%.
GCI offers solutions for monitoring gambling markets and combating the illegal segment. The data in the report is based on the company's own assessments and has not undergone independent auditing.