Key iGaming Markets in Africa: Single Demand, Differing Control Structures

In 2025, demand patterns in these countries followed a consistent trajectory: a decrease in the 1st half of the year, a mid-year rebound, and then stable growth culminating in peak activity in December.

Nigeria: Notable Upturn and Competitive Shifts

The state continues to balance the scale of reforms with the pace of their implementation.

According to the Blask Index, the market showcased the typical seasonal trends:

• an April-to-June decrease after the NPFL and EPL active windows concluded;
• a steady upturn from early summer as high-frequency sports content returned;
• a regular cycle resuming in August with the start of the new Premier League’s dynamics;
• a sharp surge in the 2nd half of 2025 driven by the FIFA CWC, World Cup’s qualifiers, and the Africa Cup of Nations.

In this context, the competitive landscape underwent substantial restructuring. In November 2025, SportyBet overtook Bet9ja in the Brand’s Accumulated Power (BAP) metric. By March 2026, the disparity had enlarged to 40.13% versus 32.23%, respectively.

Meanwhile, BetKing maintained its position as the fastest-growing local bookmaker, with peak performance rising by up to 289% YoY.

DRC: Change in Leadership and Projected Expansion

The country’s demand curve closely resembles Nigeria’s dynamics, yet its commercial landscape has undergone a notable transformation.

The main changes include:

1. betPawa surpassed the ex-leader, NgeNge, expanding its share to 54.91%, while its biggest rival’s reach dropped to 23.12%.
2. Winner Bet lost its 2nd-place ranking and ended up 3rd, with its BAP score nearly halving to 12.66%.
3. Betika maintained its 4th position, concluding the period with a modest decrease to 7.11%.

No local operator outside the Top 4 holds more than 1% of the total industry share. The expansion of competition from 3 to 4 leaders highlights the flexibility and adaptive nature of this African jurisdiction.

Cameroon: Market Development in a Near-Monopoly Landscape

The state is witnessing demand curves comparable to those in Nigeria and the DRC. A gradual decrease in activity at the start of the year was driven by structural factors. However, brief, short-term spikes were recorded during the World Cup’s qualifiers and the Champions League’s final.

Since July, a consistent upturn has been observed, mainly due to the broadened scope of sports events, including the AFCON and major European football tournaments.

The domestic market is heavily dominated by betPawa, which, by March 2026, accounted for 88.22% of total turnover, effectively creating a monopoly. Other operators in this vertical remain marginal.

Even the 1xBet brand struggled to maintain a steady share, reaching just 5% once in July, then falling to 3.29% in March this year. By the same period, Premier Bet held 2nd place with 3.86%.

Main Online Sportsbook Markets in Africa: Summary

Regarding player activity, all the states mentioned in this article show similar trends. However, the share hierarchy landscape and brand structure differ greatly.

Key distinctions include:

• Nigeria’s competitive shifts;
• the DRC’s dramatic change in leadership;
• Cameroon’s de facto monopolisation of the local vertical.

These dynamics are likely to persist into 2026, with jurisdictions continuing to evolve, reinforce their standings across the continent, and develop more mature approaches and structures.

Contact our team to build a confident presence in well-established, high-potential regions.