In many African countries, online casinos are becoming a standard. People are joining online gambling sites for various reasons and elevating the industry to new heights. However, a lot of African nations are unwilling to join the party. Online casinos, indeed gambling as a whole, remain illegal in plenty of Africa. In this article, we’d like to look at the future of the continent’s gambling industry.
Legality
As it stands now, we can separate three categories of gambling laws in Africa. There are countries where online gambling is legal, countries where it is banned, and countries where online casinos exist in a grey area. Before examining individual nations, let us discuss what these three categories mean.
- Legal: the first one is pretty self-explanatory. In countries where online casinos are legal, residents can play at any website and gamble online with credit card, debit cards, or even alternative means, as long as it is licensed and approved by a national or international authority.
- Illegal: again, fairly self-explanatory. Some African countries have outright banned online gambling, meaning it is simply illegal.
- Grey Area: the last one is where people get confused. Some countries have not issued any laws regarding online casinos. That means there are no local online casinos. However, residents can play on offshore gambling websites.
As the iGaming industry grows, many experts believe governments will seek to legalize online casinos to boost the national economy. Ideally, we may see a day when all countries have legalized online gambling.
African Countries Where Online Gambling is Legal
There are quite a few nations that have legalized online gambling. First on the list is Zimbabwe. Gambling online is legal if participants use approved and licensed websites. Some believe that a vibrant, local gambling industry can help Zimbabwe get out of its significant debt, for which the government is seeking foreign aid.
Kenya’s gambling industry is also reasonably strong. In fact, according to many experts, Kenya has one of the biggest online gambling industries in Africa. Couple that with a healthy sports betting industry and the rise in popularity of eSports, and Kenya’s future seems quite bright as far as iGaming is concerned.
Apart from these two, there are many other notable African countries where online casinos are legal, such as Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, etc. Now that we know where gambling is legal, let us look at where it is outright banned.
African Countries That Have Banned iGaming
As we said before, plenty of African countries have outright banned online gambling. Some have even banned land-based gambling as a whole. The reason is that a lot of African countries are majority Muslim, and in Islam, gambling is seen as a sin. The following countries have made online casinos illegal for cultural, political, or religious reasons.
- Egypt
- The Central African Republic
- Somalia
- Equatorial Guinea
- Most of the Sudanese Region
Residents and tourists can still find ways to gamble in some of the countries above. They could use virtual private networks, visit websites that have been approved, and even find legally operated land-based casinos. However, for cultural reasons, doing so is heavily discouraged if not legally punishable.
African Countries with No Laws on Gambling
Finally, some countries still need laws regulating or banning online casinos. If you are a resident of these countries, you can gamble. However, you will have to visit offshore accounts.
- Ghana
- Zambia
- Namibia
- Botswana
- Angola
If you play at offshore websites, we recommend finding ones licensed by the most respected organizations. The most trustworthy licenses come from European Union member states like the United Kingdom, Malta, etc., or Caribbean nations like Curacao. If these countries have licensed a casino, it is likely very trustworthy.
The Future of Gambling in Africa
Due to the consistent and drastic rise of iGaming’s success, many experts believe the industry will become much more accepted globally, not just in Africa. We may see a future where all African nations have legalized online casinos. If that is too much to hope for, then at the very least, it wouldn’t surprise us if the vast majority passed a law favoring iGaming.
FAQ
Can I play at online casinos for real money in Africa?
Absolutely. There are a lot of real money online casinos operating within Africa. Plenty of offshore casinos can also be reached from African countries.
Can I make money gambling in Africa?
While it is possible, we would not recommend you treat gambling as a profession. It should be a hobby, not something that you view as a money-making activity.
Is iGaming legal across the board in Africa?
No, there are quite a few countries where iGaming is illegal. There are also countries where land-based gambling is illegal.
Post published in: Business