[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he online casino and gaming sphere is a multi-billion, if not a multi-trillion pound industry. Gaming and casinos were huge before the Internet came a long, but when the World Wide Web was introduced to the industry, it took it to a whole new level. Online casinos and sports betting sites, as well as apps, are used constantly by people from all over the world but one area where things are rapidly changing is Africa. In fact, experts suggest that Africa is the place where the industry is currently growing the fastest.
Many would be forgiven for thinking that sports betting and gambling was the new “in thing” in Africa but it’s been around for a very long time already. It’s the fact that things remained more traditional for a long time and it’s only recently that the modern forms such as online gaming and betting have begun to gain popularity. African nations such as Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania are already seen as key players in the rapid growth that shows no signs of slowing down.
Whereas elsewhere the majority were introduced to online casino and sports betting operators like Unibet through the use of a desktop computer, with many now migrating over to play on smartphones; in Africa it seems that the desktop phase has been sidestepped with the rapid growth in large down to smartphone use alone. The reason for the recent explosion of online gaming differs from a lot of other places though.
In the case of Africa, locals visiting online sports betting and casino operators, do so not only because they love their sports and games; but it is also viewed as a real way of winning big and thus improving ones economic position. This is especially attractive to the younger generation of gamblers who are also more adept at using smartphones; together with the fact that it is easier and more affordable to have a mobile device as opposed to a laptop or desktop machine.
There are of course various land based casinos and sports betting opportunities spread across Africa and they are a huge draw for tourist from all over the world due to the fact that they’re set in luxurious resorts. This is also one of the reasons why online gaming has become so popular with locals. They appeal more to tourists than they do to your everyday run of the mill local and the majority of African’s prefer the convenience and ease of being able to enjoy their sports betting and favourite casino games at a few touches on their smartphone screen.
The explosion of online gaming has also been a huge boost to the African governments too. They’re literally raking in the cash and this money can then be used in other areas to improve the countries on the whole. It can go into improving tourism which will then increase the profile of the country and the economy too. So African nations have massively benefited from the surge provided through the amount of people enjoying online gaming on a regular basis.
