Unregulated Platforms Take $17.8bn of Africa’s Online GGR
Africa’s total online betting and casino market generated an estimated $23bn in GGR in 2025, up from $20bn in 2024. Licensed GGR rose from $4.4bn to $5.2bn. Unregulated GGR increased from $15.6bn to $17.8bn, adding $2.2bn in absolute terms.
GCI identified 4,129 unregulated operator destinations across African markets, up from 3,644 in 2024. Its count includes active, transacting websites and apps, with operational mirrors and redirect domains counted separately.
GCI estimates that 215 million people, or 14% of Africa’s population, interacted with online gambling in 2025. That compares with 198 million people, or 13%, in 2024.
Regional Results Show a Wide Divide
West Africa had the largest percentage of regulated GGR at 31%. Southern Africa was second at 28%, while Central Africa had a licensed share of 22%.
This disparity was even bigger in East Africa, with the regulated sector holding a 15% share in the GGR. Regulated operators accounted for an estimated 0.3% of North Africa’s online gambling GGR.
Southern Africa remained the continent’s largest regional market. The GGR from online gambling in this region stood at $10.3bn, out of which $7.4bn came from sources not under regulation within the region.
West Africa generated $4.8bn in total GGR, including $3.3bn from unregulated activity. GCI estimated the associated tax loss at $3.55bn by applying a 20% rate to unregulated GGR. The figure is a modeled estimate rather than recorded unpaid tax.
The Figures Carry Methodological Limits
The report covers online sports betting and casino products, including poker. Crypto products are included within the relevant betting or casino category. Prediction markets, daily fantasy sports, sweepstakes, social casinos, prize-draw contests, and lotteries are excluded.
GCI combined online monitoring with proprietary information and licensed third-party data. It warned that estimates for large markets depend on how much reliable information is available. Active mirrors and redirect domains were counted separately when they could still accept transactions
Channelization Is the Main Policy Test
Growth in licensed revenue has yet to change the structure of the African market. The regulated share rose by only one percentage point despite an $800m increase in GGR.
Regulators will need enforcement tools that apply even to payments, marketing, affiliates, applications, and search results. Additionally, they should look into whether taxes, payment friction, and product restrictions may make legal sites less competitive. The question now is whether new rules can move existing demand into supervised platforms, rather than leave most activity beyond local oversight.