Industry expert outlines growth factors in Africa’s iGaming sector
Africa’s iGaming market is entering a period of sharp growth and maturity. Valued at $2.29 billion in 2026, it is projected to reach $4.10 billion by 2031 with a 12.32 per cent CAGR. The continent has embraced a mobile-first model, with more than 95 per cent of its 349 million gamers playing on smartphones, according to Mordor Intelligence’s 2026 Africa Gaming Market Report. Markets like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are leading the way, supported by mobile-money systems and expanding infrastructure.
Regulatory evolution
The year 2026 could see the signing of Africa’s first multi-state regulatory deal, which will consolidate regulatory measures governing responsible gaming, payments, and data exchange. This signals the growing confidence in the industry and demonstrates its maturation over time. With multinational operators investing substantially and new markets emerging, Africa’s iGaming business is not only growing but also transforming into a more structured, globally competitive ecosystem.
Rapid expansion alone does not guarantee success. Operators faced challenges related to regulation, shifting player expectations, and intensifying competition every quarter. Cameron Green, Country Manager for Amusnet South Africa, spoke exclusively with SiGMA News about the forces reshaping the iGaming landscape across South Africa and beyond. For operators, suppliers, and investors, the difference between thriving and fading in Africa’s iGaming sector lies in mastering these fundamentals and consistently executing them.
Data as growth engine
“Data is the foundation of everything. You cannot make proper decisions without the data,” Green emphasised.
Historically, data had served as a support function, helping to validate decisions that were already being made. Green believed that it was changing fundamentally. “Data will become a growth engine for sure,” he explained. “How you utilise the different data points will determine what you put forward, and with the advent of the technology and some innovation that we have, we’re able to do that right down to something so granular nowadays, and that’s going to be the key for success.”
Building collaboration between operators
Green emphasised the importance of what he called the “feedback loop” between operators and suppliers.
“Having an open ear, having a team that’s able to deliver on those touchpoints that players give you, and then having some creativity and the ability to be a creator in new types of games and not just a copy or clone,” Green explained.
Operators and suppliers who could collaborate effectively to create original content tailored to African preferences would win in this market. The emphasis on uniqueness was particularly relevant given that many international gaming companies were entering African markets for the first time. Those who approached the continent with respect for its diversity and a genuine commitment to understanding local preferences would build sustainable businesses.
Balancing growth with responsibility
Regulatory frameworks vary: South Africa was continuing to develop its regulatory framework, whilst Nigeria operated under semi-regulated conditions, and Kenya had fully legalised and regulated online gambling.
Green addressed this head-on, explaining that Amusenet took responsible scaling seriously. “When you do scale, you do so in a responsible manner, working with the regulators, understanding what is new.”
Green’s message was meaningful and complex. Innovation did not imply disobeying the rules, but rather developing ideas in a lawful and ethical manner. Companies that established positive relationships with players, authorities, and stakeholders from the start were likely to prosper in the long run.
Learning from market expansion
“Understanding that each territory is its own, each point has its own nuances. Localisation is so important,” Green noted. The games that we play in South Africa might not translate well into Francophone Africa, or then again, might not even be understood in South Africa if we translate those games back into South Africa.”
According to South Africa’s National Gambling Board, the gambling sector has changed drastically in recent years. During the period of 2023-2024, the gross gambling revenues stood at ZAR 59.3 billion ($3.1 billion), which is an increase of 25.7 per cent compared to the previous year. However, in 2024-2025, the revenues increased even more to ZAR 75 billion ($4.3 billion), a jump of 26 per cent. The main contributor towards this growth has been online betting that showed an increase of 60 per cent year on year and has become dominant in the market. The total gaming turnover reached ZAR 1.5 trillion ($86.2 billion), with authorities collecting ZAR 5.8 billion ($335 million) in taxes and levies. In 2024-2025, the industry employed more than 33,000 workers.
Driving future innovation
Looking ahead, Green sees artificial intelligence as transformative. But it wasn’t AI for the sake of AI; it was about intelligent implementation.
“We could see a whole lot of productivity and 10x events happen in your organisation, but it’s how you do it and not just leave it to automate and run, but it’s understanding what the reason is for you when you do that into your business,” he said.
Artificial intelligence offers tremendous potential for African iGaming operators: from personalised game recommendations driven by machine learning to fraud detection and prevention to optimised marketing campaigns. However, the operators who would succeed were those who implemented AI strategically, with clear business objectives and ethical considerations in mind.
The continent was attracting significant investment from global operators and suppliers keen to participate in this growth story. However, those who would win in the long term were likely to be those who approached Africa not as a market to extract value from, but as a region with distinctive characteristics, rich opportunities, and real people who deserved authentic, high-quality gaming experiences.
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