Gaming Compliance International says licensed operators expanded their share to 23% across African online gambling markets, while unregulated operators still captured $17.8 billion in gross gaming revenue.
Regulated online gambling operators in Africa generated $5.2 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025, up from $4.4 billion in 2024, according to a new Gaming Compliance International report covering all 54 African nations. Licensed operators’ share of the total online gambling market edged up to 23% from 22%, while the unregulated sector remained dominant with $17.8 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025 versus $15.6 billion a year earlier. The report says online gambling participation rose from 13% of the population, or 198 million people, in 2024 to 14%, or 215 million people, in 2025, underscoring that demand is growing but is still largely being captured outside regulated channels. GCI said Africa’s fragmented regulatory landscape, ranging from prohibited markets to newly established frameworks, has allowed unlicensed operators to persist, with their number increasing to 4,129 in 2025 from 3,644 in 2024. It estimated governments lost about $3.55 billion in tax revenue in 2025 because of unregulated activity and argued that better market optimization could shift more consumers into licensed, safer offerings.