Who Plays Online Poker in Africa and How

About 60% of Africa’s population (almost 600 million people) does not have access to electricity, and the rest may experience power outages on an almost weekly basis.

It would seem, what kind of online poker can we talk about?

The most significant barrier to accessing online gambling is the world’s worst access to the World Wide Web. Currently, the population of Africa, which is more than 1 billion people, does not have high-quality Internet access. Only 25% of the continent’s population are internet users. In some African countries, the population does not have access to the network at all.

Is it allowed to play in South Africa?

In South Africa South Africa, the gambling business is legal, but in the online sector, only betting is allowed (with the necessary licenses). Receiving winnings in online poker and online casinos in South Africa is considered illegal, and if found, it is seized by the state. Despite this, people can register at foreign poker rooms. However, making a deposit using such payment systems as Neteller, Skrill, eWallets, etc.

The state regulator of the gambling business in South Africa noted in 2016 that 15% of the population constantly gambles. Land-based gambling establishments are ubiquitous in the region. There are more than 40 casinos in the republic, whose annual income is about $ 2 billion.

In 1965, a law was passed in South Africa prohibiting all types of gambling (except for betting on horse racing). Now the situation is the same in the digital world. This sector is in the shadows. However, the law does not provide punishment for citizens who use overseas online casinos and poker rooms with servers abroad.

The current situation with online gambling in Africa

PricewaterhouseCoopers, a network of professional audit firms, has identified South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya as the fastest growing gambling markets in Africa.

In 2015, the share of African countries in the total global online gambling volume was only 0.5%. And by 2018, this figure will double. Recently bet in Burundi has gained popularity.

Nigeria ranks first in terms of Internet accessibility among the population on the continent, which influenced the development of the gaming industry. It is the second country in South Africa (after South Africa) in the gambling market. Online casinos in Nigeria have recently appeared. The highest rates of development of this sphere are noted here. The projected profit by 2018 will be about $60 million. Sports betting is the most popular among the country’s residents, on which they spend more than $ 11 million daily.

Online gambling is allowed in Kenya and is proliferating. 

It is worth noting that in South Africa, the Emerald Casino already hosted the World Series of Poker Circuit in 2010. And in 2015, the World Poker Tour National series made a stop in Morocco. Given current trends, the prestigious series of poker tournaments may be held in African cities shortly, bringing together many players from all over the world.

What can you expect in the future?

In Africa, the gap between the poor and the rich is huge. It isn’t easy to find data on the average salary among the population. Many live below the poverty line. But there are many millionaires among the wealthy here, and it is evident that only they can afford to play poker for big money, and in general, play poker.

Of course, someday, there will come a time when an entire continent will enter the poker world – and it will surely be an incredible poker boom, like in the days when online poker was just developing. Many inexperienced and non-professional players played it, and when a player who slightly improved his skills and mastered the skill could win a lot. It’s not hard to guess how profitable it would be for grinders to inject so many inexperienced players into poker rooms worldwide.

But first, Africa must end poverty and the digital divide. Sooner or later, this moment will come, but for now, it remains only to dream.