What Does The Future Hold For Gambling Online South Africa?
One thing is clear, and that’s the fact that the coronavirus has forever altered the way people gamble. This especially goes for Africa, where millions of gamblers have quickly adapted to the new normal by online gambling from the comfort of their homes.
As land-based businesses collapsed, the only choice left was to turn to Internet marketplaces. Still, one industry branch keeps on collecting revenue: While people all over the world struggle with social distance laws until the virus is completely eradicated, online betting in South Africa continues to prosper.
It’s no secret that the online gambling industry in South Africa was booming ever since the start of the national lockdown, while traditional gambling businesses continue to face massive losses to this day.
According to playlive casino’s data, South Africa’s market alone is currently worth more than £2 billion. The country is well-known for its gambling markets, and it competes with countries from Europe and North America as well.
Even though there has been a significant increase in gambling at online casinos around the world, economists argue that as lockdown times lengthen and financial hardships get worse over time, people are most likely to be less eager to spend money on non-essential activities like gambling.
In this article, we’ll try to provide some answers regarding the future of online gambling, as well as mention the most relevant statistical forecasts for South African online betting.
After all, the gambling industry in South Africa is the next big thing as the popularity of online gambling has risen rapidly across the continent over the last decade.
Mobile Payments Revolution
Online gaming is slowly but steadily changing the gambling narrative of South Africa. One can go so far as to claim that mobile gaming is the future of eGaming in Africa.
One great example of this trend can be found in Kenya’s eGaming sector. M-PESA, Kenya’s most popular mobile wallet, has revolutionized the way gamblers transfer money between gambling sites and their banks.
Instead of relying on bank deposits, which might take days to appear in gaming accounts, Kenyan gamblers now have the option of instantly funding their accounts via the M-PESA mobile wallet. A huge step for the online gambling community indeed.
This e-wallet also lets you easily withdraw your casino wins, sending the money to your account in seconds. M-PESA is currently available in Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Tanzania.
Mobile wallets had the greatest impact on three African nations with booming online gambling industries, namely Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
West African countries are no exception: Online gambling communities from Nigeria and Ghana can rely on mobile wallets like MTN, Airtel Money, and Glo to finance their gaming accounts and withdraw winnings.
When it comes to Ethiopia, mobile wallets have also been seen as a method that could pique the country’s interest in online gambling. As the country is currently implementing M-PESA infrastructure, we may see some huge changes in this industry that have long been underutilized and uncontrolled.
Mobile Gaming is The Next Big Thing
We are currently living in the digital migration era. Africa is no exception as smartphones have become the new obsession in the continent, increasingly replacing analog cell phones that are slowly becoming a thing from the past.
According to Statista, Africa rose to become a vital market for the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers. By April 2021, Samsung had the largest share of the African smartphone market under its wing, followed by OPPO.
World’s top smartphone manufacturers ship hundreds of millions of smartphones to Africa each year. Along with the growing number of smartphone owners, the popularity of mobile gambling has gone through the roof.
Speaking of mobile gambling popularity, Kenya was proclaimed to be first in the world when it comes to keeping up with this trend according to a GeoPoll report. The majority of users that gamble online on their smartphones are between the ages of 19 and 35.
Close behind to follow up with this trend are Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. There is no doubt that the next phase of online gambling in Africa is based on the smartphone revolution, which is still gaining traction across the continent.
South Africa Remains in The Spotlight
South Africa is home to some of the best land-based casinos on the continent. The continent’s third-largest economy is also the location of some of Africa’s largest gambling wins, particularly among online lottery players according to playcasino.
Despite the fact that interactive gaming is still prohibited according to the 2008 Gambling Act, South Africa’s gambling earnings continue to rise.
5G Technology Modernization
As we’re becoming increasingly tech-driven, the 5G technology is slowly taking over the world. South Africa was the pioneer on the continent to install this advanced technology, later followed by Kenya.
With the installation of 5G, more players in the online gambling community will consider trying their luck at Africa’s tech hub. With these technological advancements running at full pace, African gamblers now have unrestricted access to gambling sites and can enjoy top-notch gaming experiences.
With an increasing number of South African online casinos embracing virtual reality and augmented reality gambling on their platforms, 5G technology couldn’t have arrived at a more convenient time for African gamblers.
Because gambling online South Africa heavily relies on a stable Internet connection, the rapid deployment of 5G across the continent is expected to help this already booming industry grow even faster.
It seems that these significant technological advances come at the best possible time: People are eager to have some fun in a world that is still fighting against the coronavirus epidemic which sadly shows no signs of abating.
Conclusion
Africa remains a dynamic continent that doesn’t sleep. Currently, the top African countries leading the way in technological advancements in the online gambling industry are South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt.
Still, this booming industry faces some hardships in the long run. While recovering from a devastating pandemic that seriously affected economies worldwide, each government looks for new ways to raise more revenue.
This time, Kenya has taken the lead by being the first country on the continent to enact punitive online gambling taxes. Still, this was proclaimed as an attempt to restrain a gambling culture that has become the foundation of many societal problems.
All that is left for people in South Africa to do is to hope that the government will eventually legalize online gambling, allowing the online casino industry to thrive and giving millions the opportunity to have fun in this restricted world we’ve found ourselves in.
Passionate Writer, Blogger and Amazon Affiliate Expert since 2014.
