Source: The Conversation – Africa
Africa is a multi-billion dollar market for gambling, with a growing number of young people using smartphones to place bets, particularly on football matches. The issue is often framed in terms of addictive behaviour, but that doesn’t provide a full picture.
Franklin Glozah was part of a team of public health researchers who examined existing research across sub-Saharan Africa, identified gaps and proposed a more comprehensive approach to understanding the crisis. We asked him about this and his other studies.
What are the big trends in gambling?
Gambling has grown rapidly across Africa. Industry estimates suggest that annual betting revenue could increase from US$3.5 billion in 2021 to US$19.4 billion by 2030, with South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana among the largest markets.
Perhaps the biggest change over the past decade is how easy it has become to gamble. You no longer need to walk into a betting shop. With a smartphone, internet access and mobile money, a young person can place a bet almost anywhere, any time.
Sports betting, particularly on football, has become especially prominent. Participation varies across countries. In our study of 770 young people in Ghana, sports betting was the most common form of gambling. More recent surveys suggest that this pattern continues.
A 2026 survey of 2,866 people across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda found that 64% of respondents in Kenya, 60% in Ghana and 54% in Nigeria reported betting on football in the preceding year. These figures are not nationally representative. The survey also found that, among active bettors surveyed, 95% placed bets using a mobile device and 67% said football was what they bet on most often.
Football’s widespread popularity, regular matches, extensive media coverage and betting promotions may help explain why it attracts so much betting activity.
So, sports betting has become closely connected to everyday digital life and football culture. This makes it much easier for young people to encounter and participate in gambling.
Research has documented the potential harms associated with gambling. A global study in 2024 estimated that 8.7% of adults who gamble online experience problematic gambling. Gambling-related harms can include financial difficulties, psychological distress and relationship problems.
What did you find out?
One thing that became clear is that we should not assume young people see betting simply as entertainment. For some, betting can appear to offer a source of income.
That’s important in a continent with a very large youth population and where many young people face uncertain economic futures. If a young person is struggling to find a reliable source of income, the possibility of turning a small stake into a much larger amount can be very attractive. The problem is that gambling is not a reliable way of earning a living, and losses can affect money that may already be scarce.
Our research shows gambling doesn’t happen in a social vacuum. Young people’s attitudes to it are related to social support and the relationships they have with people like family, friends and teachers. Those who experience conflict or a lack of support at home are more likely to view gambling positively. But young people who feel valued and supported develop less interest in gambling.
This fits with my broader research. Young Ghanaians who felt they had more social support also reported lower stress and better health and wellbeing. That’s why I think we need to be careful about simply blaming young people for gambling.
What role does the international betting industry play?
We know quite a lot about problem gambling, addiction and individual risk factors. We know much less about the companies selling gambling products, how they advertise, how betting becomes associated with football, how digital technologies make gambling available around the clock, and whether regulation has kept pace with these changes.
Africa’s betting industry includes both locally owned businesses and international gambling operators. Some companies have headquarters outside the continent and operate through subsidiaries, partnerships or locally licensed businesses. International operators have expanded their presence in African markets through football sponsorships, advertising, online betting platforms and mobile technologies.
The widespread use of smartphones and digital payment systems makes it easy for people to deposit money, place bets and withdraw winnings. A survey across six African countries found that 95% of active bettors use mobile devices to place bets. Research also identifies a link between mobile money use and gambling participation.
In another study, my colleagues and I examined gambling regulation across 49 African countries. Gambling was legally regulated in 41, but there were major differences in how countries approached online gambling, advertising and regulatory oversight. For example, only 15 of the 41 countries had legislation explicitly addressing online gambling, while 18 had legislation covering gambling advertising. Some countries had dedicated gambling regulators, while others relied on government departments to oversee the industry. Public reporting was also very limited in many countries.
This creates an important imbalance. We may be asking young people to gamble responsibly while surrounding them with an environment in which betting is increasingly easy to access and heavily commercialised.
What are your recommendations?
We need to treat gambling as more than an individual behavioural problem. Regulation has to respond to the gambling environment.
Governments need to look closely at how gambling is advertised and promoted, including its relationship with football and other sports. Age restrictions need to work in practice, not simply exist on paper. Regulators also need much better information about who is gambling, how much they are spending and what harms are occurring.
There is also a wider development question. If some young people are turning to betting because they see few other opportunities to improve their economic situation, gambling policy alone cannot address the conditions that make betting attractive in the first place. Governments therefore need to complement gambling regulation with policies that respond to youth unemployment and economic insecurity.
For many young Africans, gambling sits at the intersection of football, technology, money and the search for economic opportunity. Our response therefore needs to take all of those factors into account.
Franklin Glozah receives funding from The British Academy.
Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/05/how-football-smartphones-and-mobile-money-drive-youth-sports-betting-in-africa/