In recent years, Africa has gradually turned into one of the most attractive regions for the future of iGaming. Many African countries are enjoying steady economic growth, the continent has a population of 1.3 billion, mobile internet penetration is rapidly spreading, and local cultures tolerate — or even love — gambling. If that’s not the image of a dream market, what is?
On this page, we'll focus specifically on the online gambling licenses available in some of the most attractive African markets – South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, and Zambia. If you are interested in launching a sportsbook or an online casino in Africa, keep reading this article and learn more about licensing in some of the most exciting markets on the continent.
Features of casinos in Africa
In recent years, African markets have earned investors’ attention.
The main factor contributing to the region's attractiveness for iGaming operators is the accelerating rate of mobile internet penetration, which is finally making African countries viable for investments in the sector. In many countries, mobile penetration has far outstripped broadband rollout, meaning bettors are much more likely to wager via their mobiles than a laptop.
While sportsbooks are relatively established and raking in considerable numbers, the market is still mostly untapped for online casinos, mainly due to the higher internet data consumption associated with it. But online casino gaming is expected to become more and more accessible as the region's telecommunication infrastructure improves and the local population's disposable incomes increase.
As is the case in most of the majority-Muslim world, most forms of gambling are illegal for citizens of North African countries.
Some of the countries in the region – namely Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt – allow land-based casinos located within hotels to incentivise tourism, where only foreign citizens are allowed to play. Tunisia and Morocco both run state-owned sports betting companies, Promosport and MDJS, established with the purpose of financing the local sports communities.
Meanwhile, Egypt and Morocco's online gambling markets remain de facto unregulated, leaving the door open to foreign operators targeting local players; however, no local license is available.
In some countries, only land-based casinos are regulated, even though online operators can also be licensed. Some countries regulate only sport betting, and some African countries don’t regulate gambling at all.
Let’s take a closer look.
How gambling is regulated in African countries
Online gambling markets are normally divided into several types according to regulation:
- Black markets
- Unregulated markets
- Unregulated markets that issue permission
- Regulated markets
Black markets
Black markets prohibit gambling and betting activities. Africa’s black markets technically include Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. However, there are legal land-based casinos located in hotels and available only for foreigners, and authorities in these countries don’t make serious attempts to combat online casinos.
Unregulated markets
Many Sub-Saharan African countries don't formally regulate online gambling, so no local licensing process exists. Foreign operators are free to offer their services to local players in these jurisdictions, but it isn't currently possible to obtain country-specific licenses.
Unregulated markets that offer licenses
Some countries, like Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia, only regulate land-based gambling, and authorities issue licenses that are in theory specific to land-based operators; however, they also offer these same licenses to online operators.
This creates quite a bit of confusion. In Zambia, for example, unlicensed gambling establishments are banned in principle; however, it's not clear whether this applies to online sportsbooks and casinos.
Some operators choose to get a local land-based license to offer online services. On the other hand, many major international brands do not accept players from the country, in order to avoid any controversy.
The cases of Kenya and Uganda are equally peculiar. The local regulatory authorities (respectively, the Betting Control and Licensing Board and the National Gaming Board) issue their licenses to both land-based and online operators, even if online gambling is not formally regulated. It is unclear whether a local permit is actually required to operate online in these countries; still, holding one before starting a business is undoubtedly the safest way to proceed.
Regulated markets
There are also examples of successfully developing regulated gambling markets in Africa. These countries have regulations and issue licenses.
Let’s have a look at several examples of the African gambling markets and their regulatory status.
South Africa
Online gambling in South Africa showed a year-on-year GGR growth of 25.7% in 2024. The gambling license in South Africa is issued locally by provincial authorities (PLAs); the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB) is the PLA most widely used by operators. However, while sports betting in South Africa is regulated — surprisingly, given that half of population bets on sport — online casinos are not allowed.
The application fee for a bookmaker license varies. WCGRB, for example, sets the betting license application fee at ZAR 15,096 ($768), and the annual fee at ZAR 3,028 ($154).
While these numbers seem particularly low, prospective operators have to keep in mind that, to obtain a license, they must pass a probity investigation, which itself can command much higher fees. An annual investigation fee in WCGRB is ZAR 12,089 ($615).
The application process and required documents can also vary depending on a province.
Nigeria
Nigeria is by far the largest country in Africa and is home to a flourishing online gambling market.
However, while Nigeria is a vibrant market filled with passionate bettors, there’s still one hurdle for operators to jump. The lack of federal-level regulations has generated friction between the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and the Lagos State Lotteries Board (LSLB). Each of these entities issues its own licenses, making things a little confusing for online gambling platform owners.
Online casinos are licensed by the NLRC. The license will cost NGN 100 million (€100,379) and applicants will pay a NGN 2 million (€2,008) application fee. A sports betting license is issued by LSLB and costs NGN 100 million (€100,379), and the application fee is NGN 2 million (€2,008). Members of the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers have a right for 50% reduction in the license fee. Lottery operators pay NGN 10 million (€10,038) for a license and a NGN 2 million (€2,008) application fee.
Applicants must prepare all required documentation and provide a detailed financial forecast for five years. They also have to comply with AML standards. Online casino and sportsbook licenses are valid for five years and can be renewed.
Kenya
The Kenyan gambling market is regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), which issues licenses to both offline and online operators.
To get the Kenyan gambling license, operators must submit the following documents:
- Application form
- A detailed concept for the proposed business
- Proposed operating name of the business
- Evidence of capacity to undertake public gaming operation
- A business plan showing the minimum investment and sources of funding
- The proposed games of chance to be offered in the casino with a brief description
- Proposed Corporate Social Responsibility activities to be conducted during the license duration
The gambling license cost in Kenya varies depending on the type:
- Application fee KES 1,000,000 ($7,724)
- License grand fee KES 3,000,000 ($23,174)
- Annual fee KES 500,000 ($3,862)
- Investigation fee KES 250,000 ($1,931)
The BCLB also offers bookmaker, lottery, prize competition, pooltable, and totalizator permits.
Tanzania
Tanzania is a fully regulated market of great interest for operators.
The Gaming Board of Tanzania issues licenses for both online casinos and online sportsbooks. In both cases, fees amount to just over €500 per month; holders of a bookmaker's license also incur a 6% levy on all stakes. In order to get a permit, operators are required to make significant investments in the country – $300,000 for local companies and $500,000 for foreign-based or foreign-owned ones.
Ghana
The Gaming Commission of Ghana issues betting and gambling licenses. To get one, the company, among other requirements, has to be at least partially owned by Ghanaians (and at least one of two directors must be a resident of Ghana), prove compliance with the responsible gaming measures and protection of minors, and have a minimum capital of $2,000,000.
Uganda
The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board of Uganda issues licenses for both offline and online gambling. However, even though the licensing system exists, the laws don’t strictly require having it.
The application fee varies depending on whether the applicant is a resident of Uganda (UGX 20,000,000, or $5,395) or a foreigner (UGX 50,000,000, or $13,480). The license fee is UGX 15,000,000 ($4,044).
Applicants also have to prove their capital, depending on the type of gambling activity they plan to organize.
Zambia
Gambling operators have to obtain a license to be able to offer services in Zambia, but local regulations say nothing about online platforms. Some operators prefer to get a land-based operation license, or get licensed by a jurisdiction with international recognition.
Obtaining a license from another jurisdiction
While not every country on the African continent offers gambling licensing, there are jurisdictions that provide permits for companies that operate internationally. Here is the comparison of two licenses: Anjouan and the Isle of Man.
| Anjouan | Isle of Man | |
| Annual fee for B2B operation | €15,000 - €25,000 | £36,750 ($46,698) (fiat platforms) and £52,500 ($66,711) (token/blockchain-enabled platforms) |
| Annual fee for B2C operation | €15,000 - €25,000 | £36,750 ($46,698) |
| Processing time | 4-6 weeks | 10-12 weeks |
| Valid for | 1 year | 5 years |
We compared and described in details four licensing bodies — Anjouan, Curaçao, Kahnawake, and the Isle of Man — in our downloadable guide here to give operators a better image of which provider is more appropriate for their goals. Get the guide now and contact our team if you have more questions.
How can Slotegrator help?
If you are still curious and want to learn more about emerging African markets, you can check our in-depth analysis on the continent in this article or get familiar with other countries across the globe using our interactive gambling regulation map.
Slotegrator offers licensing services to help operators obtain the best suitable permission for any gambling or betting project, as well as consultancy services to assist with choosing the market of operation and learn more about regulation, tax system, and other features of the jurisdictions.
How is gambling regulated in Africa?
Every African market has its own attitude towards gambling and betting. Some countries have detailed regulations, some only regulate land-based casinos, and some refrain from making decisions. There is also the example of South Africa, where gambling is regulated on a provincial basis.
Why do bookmakers want to operate in Africa?
Africa is a continent of sport. The region’s enormous population has a strong cultural disposition to everything connected to sports, including betting. There is also a growing mobile and internet connection rate that makes these markets attractive to online betting operators.
What's next for the African gambling market?
The African gambling market will most probably keep growing and developing, with more people participating in it. Local regulations contribute to development of a healthy gambling culture, and the spread of mobile payment apps, as well as growing internet penetration across the continent promise further industry establishment.
Comments
Hello Jekaterina, in Cameroon, there is no specific legislation regarding the acceptance of a Curacao license for online gambling. This means foreign online casinos with a Curacao license can technically accept players from Cameroon, but they operate in a legal gray area without explicit authorization from Cameroonian laws.