Africa
Outlook on Africa’s Gaming Industry 2020-2025 – Mobile Gaming Will Hold a Major Market Share
The “Africa Gaming Market – Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2020-2025)” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
The gaming industry is expected to register a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period (2020-2025). The most recent trend is the growing availability and popularity of multi-functional gaming console, which is emerging in the market and helping in growing the market of video games in the region.
Africa is the only region in the world where the youth population is increasing. By 2050 Africa’s young people, i.e., those aged between 0 and 24 years old, will increase by nearly 50 percent. Africa will have the most significant number of young people. Africa’s youth are critical to the continent’s future when it comes to mobile and gaming as a whole.
African studios are making new inroads by launching original locally produced content on Netflix. Several local content productions have been nominated for several global awards, including the Oscars. The Annecy Festival in 2020 will be focusing on animation from Africa. In addition to this, government initiatives in the region are adopting gaming solutions for educational purposes. Developments such as these will provide opportunities for the gaming industry in the area.
During the lockdown, the Entertainment streaming and gaming industries are thriving. The global suspension or cancellation of most sporting events has left punters without live games to bet on, aside from re-runs of filmed matches. The knock-on effect is that sports betting, which accounts for most of the industry’s revenue, has crashed to almost nil.
While the traditional gambling industry is facing unparalleled losses, online gambling sites have reported a surge in activity since the national lockdown came into effect on 27 March 2020. While online casinos worldwide have reported a sharp increase in gambling, as lockdown periods are extended, and financial stresses intensify, people may become increasingly hesitant to spend money on non-essential pastimes, such as gambling.
Key Market Trends
Mobile Gaming Segment Expected to Have Major Market Share
- Mobile gaming generates close to half of the revenue that the gaming industry gets annually. More than 200 million Africans are below 35 years, and this figure might double in a decade. Africa has a huge market for gaming and smartphone companies.
- Mobile gaming is gaining popularity in remote parts of Africa. For example, more than 290 million people in North Africa use mobile phones. The mobile market in the region generates $90 billion annually.
- One of the major drivers for the growth of mobile gaming is the potential to spawn a massive real-money gaming industry around the continent. Mobile tech spreads around the continent, large swaths of Africa are also paving the way for legal betting and gaming.
- However, acceleration in network rollouts by mobile operators in Sub-Saharan Africa has been a vital driver of the reduction in the coverage gap. Infrastructure deployment in Sub-Saharan Africa increased 3G coverage from 63% in 2017 to 70% in 2018, extending access to more than 80 million people. 3.3 billion people live in areas covered by mobile broadband networks but do not use mobile internet – this usage gap’ is more than four times greater than the coverage gap. Such factors might harm gaming companies operating in the region.
Issues Such as Piracy, Laws & Regulations, and Concerns Relating to Fraud During Gaming Transactions will Impact the Growth of the Market
- Most African countries have gaming commissions and laws that regulate gambling. South Africa has clear gaming laws and regulations. It was the first country to create gambling regulation in the continent. Also, online casinos are popular in the country.
- In South Africa, several legislative attempts to further restrict online gambling and payment transactions of unlicensed operators have been postponed in recent years. However, some legislators and regulators at the provincial level have called for a less restrictive regime.
- There is currently an ongoing political and religious debate on the perceived high number of minors accessing gambling. As a result, in May 2019, the minister of finance urged the National Gaming Board (NGB) to stop issuing gaming and betting licenses immediately. The government restricted gambling advertising as of January 2019. Additional measures to ensure responsible gambling and revenue collection to the state budget are on the list.
- A new advocacy organization designed to collaborate, coordinate, partner, build and sustain the growth of esports on the continent has been formed. ESFA or The Esports Federation of Africa is established by a community of both private esports entities, and national federations. WESCO affiliates it. With the launch of the ESFA, African gamers now have a voice, an advocate, an organization with grassroots developments of players at its core. These will provide better opportunities and therefore strengthen the local market in the region.
Competitive Landscape
The gaming market is fragmented as the demand for online games, and increasing penetration of mobile applications across the region will help attract new players in this market over the next few years. Recent developments in the market are:
- In May 2020, Sony announced new PlayStation Studios branding for its first-party PS5 games. Sony will be using the new PlayStation Studios brand for its first-party exclusives going forward as a way to let customers know that a game comes from one of Sony’s in-house development teams.
- In August 2019, Konami Digital Entertainment BV announced that the mobile version of e-Football PES 2020 would be released in October, and it represents a complete overhaul of the current PES 2019 mobile game. The latest major update to the PES Mobile series, which celebrated over 200 million downloads earlier this year, brings many of the critical features and licenses already announced for e-Football PES 2020 on PC and console.
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Premier Bet, the leading sports betting and online casino brand, has announced the renewal and expansion of its partnership with Francis Ngannou as its Pan-African Brand Ambassador. This exciting partnership will see Francis Ngannou feature in Premier Bet’s upcoming marketing campaigns, promotional activities and CSR projects.
Francis Ngannou, former UFC Heavyweight Champion, professional boxer and now Chairman of PFL Africa has signed as Premier Bet & Partners Brand Ambassador until 2027. Renowned globally for his knockout power and inspiring rise from humble beginnings in Cameroon to the pinnacle of global combat sports, Francis Ngannou embodies resilience, ambition and African pride — qualities that strongly align with Premier Bet’s identity and mission.
Alexandre Qader, Director of Operations at Premier Bet Cameroon, said: “We are thrilled to extend the collaboration with our great champion Francis Ngannou and broaden his connection to the Premier Bet family and beyond. I think we clearly share the same visions. We have the same ambitions in Cameroon and now on a Pan-African scale. Francis’ passion, drive and humility make him an ideal partner for us as we continue to grow our brand and connect with our customers.”
Francis Ngannou said: “We’ve already been working together for three years and I’m excited to move forward in this collaboration, to deepen our relationships and get to know each other better. By expanding the partnership across the entire African continent, this solidifies my trust and commitment to the brand.
“Premier Bet is a company that shares my commitment to fair play, a passion for sport and a focus on the customer and their communities.”
As Brand Ambassador, Francis Ngannou will play an active role in promoting responsible gambling, participate in exclusive events, provide expert insights and champion CSR projects that aim to uplift African communities.
This strategic partnership is a significant milestone in Premier Bet’s journey on its mission to continue as the No.1 gaming brand in Africa.
The post Premier Bet Announces Francis Ngannou as its Pan-African Brand Ambassador appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
NOVOMATIC Africa has announced that it has reached a major operational milestone: the local assembly of its popular Panther FV623D and FV624D Limited Payout Machines (LPMs) is now fully underway in South Africa. This strategic development marks a critical step in the company’s commitment to regional growth, operational agility and technological excellence.
The initiative was born out of post-pandemic global supply challenges, where machine delivery lead times were significant. To address this, NOVOMATIC Africa made the strategic decision to localise certain production capabilities—shortening timelines, reducing dependency on international shipments, and contributing to the local economy and empowerment.
At the helm of the project is Mohamed Abdullah, Technical & Operations Manager, who leads a team of highly skilled, internationally trained technical professionals.
After extensive planning and cross-border collaboration, NOVOMATIC Africa equipped a dedicated assembly area within its new Midrand facility. The space was enhanced with the necessary tooling, shelving and safety systems to handle high-volume pre-assembly processes, including monitor and bill validator modules.
This ambitious three-year journey—culminating in South Africa’s first locally assembled Panther LPMs—was not only a triumph of logistics and innovation but also a testament to human expertise, resilience and visionary leadership.
To ensure full compliance and alignment with both NOVOMATIC AG (Austria) and local regulatory standards, the project included:
• Acquisition of an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Safety Test Machine
• Establishment of robust quality control protocols
• Integration with the NAG central database
• Development of a structured pre-assembly line for key components
• Empowering Local Talent
“Investing in people has been the most important part of this journey. Yes, we’re building machines. But more importantly, we’re building capability—equipping our team here in South Africa with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to meet global benchmarks,” said Mohamed Abdullah.
NOVOMATIC Africa’s investment in local production is more than a tactical solution—it’s a long-term strategic move aimed at strengthening the company’s footprint across the continent.
As demand continues to grow, the company remains focused on building a resilient, skilled local workforce and continuing its mission to deliver high-quality, technically advanced gaming machines for Africa’s evolving gaming landscape.
The post NOVOMATIC Africa Launches Local Assembly for Panther LPMs, Driving Innovation and Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider of iGaming software solutions, releases a new regulated market overview, ‘iGaming in South Africa 2025’. The report serves as a comprehensive guide to South Africa’s online gambling landscape, offering operators and stakeholders insights into the market’s size, regulatory framework, and emerging trends.
South Africa’s iGaming sector is experiencing robust growth, driven by digital adoption and evolving player behaviour. While the broader gambling market in South Africa is projected to generate approximately €3.63 billion in gross gambling revenue (GGR) by the end of 2025, betting already dominates, accounting for about 60.5% of the total earnings.
Mobile wagering, in particular, now generates the lion’s share of online betting turnover – roughly 81% of bets are placed via smartphones and tablets – a trend fueled by South Africa’s high smartphone penetration and the convenience of on-the-go betting. Together, these factors point to a developed digital betting ecosystem driving the overall gambling industry’s expansion.
“With this SOFTSWISS market report, we highlight our commitment to the dynamic potential of South Africa’s iGaming market. Backed by our global expertise and local insight, SOFTSWISS is well-positioned to address the region’s unique needs and opportunities. These insights will help shape our strategy and ensure our solutions stay aligned with the evolving South African iGaming landscape,” said Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Commercial Officer at SOFTSWISS.
The ‘iGaming in South Africa’ report also highlights the complex regulatory landscape that operators must navigate. Gambling in South Africa is governed by both the National Gambling Board and nine provincial licensing authorities, each with its own rules and requirements. This layered system means companies need careful compliance strategies to enter and operate across different provinces.
Despite the regulatory fragmentation and challenges such as a 15% VAT on betting transactions, South Africa remains highly attractive to local and international investors. The report notes that trends in player engagement are reshaping the market: operators are increasingly incorporating gamification and social play elements to appeal to younger, digital-savvy bettors.
Popular casino-style games are introduced in fixed-odds betting formats to comply with current laws, which prohibit traditional online casinos nationally. These innovative adaptations – for example, number-based games and ‘crash’ games presented as sports wagers – allow players to enjoy casino-like content within the legal betting framework, reflecting a creative industry response to regulatory constraints.
This new market analysis follows SOFTSWISS’ recent expansion in South Africa. Earlier in June, the company made its first major public appearance in the country in the tech field as a partner of Africa Tech Week 2025 in Cape Town. At the event, SOFTSWISS showcased its technology solutions and shared insights on digital resilience and innovation in African markets.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Report: South Africa’s Gambling Revenue to Hit €3.63 Billion by 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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