Online casino gambling has become one of the largest entertainment industries in the world. Valued at $231 billion in 2021, the industry employs over 1.6 billion people and is a significant source of revenue for many governments.
A large part of this has to do with the convenience these websites offer to players. From being able to play a quick round of poker while waiting for your commute to playing slots before settling down for the night, these casinos offer the chance to wager regardless of where you find yourself.
While this great feature has helped spur the industry to new heights in many places worldwide, there are some regions in which it hasn’t (yet). Whether due to local legislation, cultural beliefs, or even operating requirements, some areas cannot access the thrill of online casinos.
With an estimated 1.43 billion people, African countries offer either a massive potential market for online casinos or one that already exists. This all depends on where you are in Africa and whether it is legal to gamble online from your location.
Read on to find out if online casinos are legal in Africa and precisely which countries allow you to play the latest online casino games.
Types of Legality
Before getting into where you can and can’t gamble on the continent, we should note that African countries have one of three types of legality.
Regulated
In regulated countries, online casinos and online gambling are entirely legal, and you won’t have any issues playing the latest games via a computer or mobile device. These countries have regulatory frameworks that make provisions for gambling.
Aside from having frameworks in place, these countries also have governing bodies that regulate all gambling in the region. These bodies ensure all gambling is fair and that no unregistered provider can offer their services to the people in the area.
Unregulated
As you can expect, unregulated territories have no set laws that oversee gambling and online casinos. They also have no regulatory bodies supervising any gambling activity in the country.
Instead, regions within this category are a slightly grey area—where gambling is neither legal nor illegal. Most African countries fall within this category and are not actively supported by online casinos.
However, some online casinos operate in unregulated regions and allow players to register a player account from these countries. However, it should be noted that playing online from a country without regulations is not recommended because there are no clear-cut laws to protect you or the casino you are playing on.
Banned (Illegal)
As with other areas, some African countries have a blanket ban on gambling. Gambling is completely illegal in these areas, and being caught in the act could lead to a fine or even imprisonment.
Almost all countries in Africa that have outlawed gambling are found to have strong religious beliefs against it—particularly those with a high concentration of Muslims. However, there are instances where, within these countries, there are gambling locations, though these are intended only for tourists and not locals.
With that out of the way, let’s look at some of the continent’s largest countries and review their gambling and online casino regulations.
South Africa
At the very lowest tip of Africa, South Africa is known as one of the most developed countries on the continent. This could be why the country has multiple land-based casinos and falls under the regulated list of countries regarding gambling.
The National Gambling Act (2016) regulates all gambling in the country, while the South African National Gaming Board (SANGB) oversees all gambling within the region and ensures only operators registered and licensed can offer services.
Because of this regulation, the residents widely enjoy gambling, and the industry has grown to be worth over $1.8 billion (more than ZAR 34 billion in local currency). The country is also home to several online casinos reviewed on casinos.com.
Nigeria
In terms of the economy, Nigeria has the largest on the African continent, and many claim it has the power to influence multiple other countries. Therefore, it is no surprise that it has also made provisions for residents who want to try their luck.
Gambling in the region is overseen by the Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), and all regulations are dealt with by the National Lottery Act of 2005. The country is home to a plethora of online casinos that residents can enjoy.
Kenya
Gambling in Kenya is regulated by the National Gaming Bill (2011) and overseen by the Betting Control Licensing Board (BCLB). The first gaming laws in the country date back to 1966—proving that the region has always loved the thrill of gambling.
Ghana
Like Kenya, Ghana has a long history of legal gambling. It was first decriminalized in 1975 under the Casino Licensing Decree. However, the National Gaming Act of 2006 overruled all existing regulations and introduced new frameworks for online gambling. The regulator in the country, the Ghana Gaming Commission (GGC), ensures that the general population—which is somewhat deprived of basic education—isn’t taken advantage of.
Tanzania
Known as the home of some of Africa’s most incredible national game reserves, Tanzania is another place where residents can legally scratch their gambling itch. The Internet Gaming Regulation of 2012 set up all regulations for legal wagering, and the Tanzania Gaming Board oversees all gambling activity.
Uganda
Uganda is one of the last countries where it is legal to access and use an online casino in Africa. The country, which has a rich history and culture, allows gambling under the National Gaming Act (2013). The National Gaming Board regulates all gambling to ensure residents aren’t taken advantage of by casinos and play responsibly.
Unregulated Countries
As mentioned, most African countries have no gambling or online casino regulations. Amongst these are Angola and Botswana.
In Angola, the government hinted at coming regulations relating to online casinos back in 2016. However, to date, no firm decision has been made, and there is currently no regulation pertaining to them.
It is much the same in Botswana, which has no laws to state whether online gambling is allowed. As such, many international online casinos offer their services in the country.
Illegal Countries
Although Egypt is one of the biggest countries where all forms of gambling are illegal, land-based casinos can be found in the region. These are established solely for the entertainment of tourists, and locals are banned from playing at them.
Likewise, Somalia has strong laws against any type of gambling. In this country, players caught gambling may be liable to a fine or imprisonment and even corporal punishment such as public flogging.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
