Gambling has always been an important part of doing business in Africa. Every year, billions of dollars in profits are made in this sector, employing thousands of people in multiple jobs.
The growth of online gambling is also exploding on the African shores and it is easy to see that the continent is next in line for major restructuring in this area. It has to be said that Africa is a modern country that is adapting well to the transformation, just as the rules of the financial game are constantly changing.
An online casino presence that is still shy
While online gambling in South Africa is not yet legalized, there are virtual casinos on the continent that are well suited to meet the needs of the African market. In fact, many African countries have already legalized online gambling. Although they are limited to online activity, it has been legally permitted to participate in sports betting since 1996. Horse racing is particularly popular among Internet gamblers and is a preferred means of betting money safely.
In countries where gambling is not allowed, land-based casinos are extremely common and open up the market, generating interest in the convenience of online gambling. It must be said that land-based casinos are a first step towards online gambling, and vice versa. They are not competitors, but they do go hand in hand. A person who plays online poker will feel more comfortable going to a land-based casino knowing that he or she knows how to play the game, just as a land-based casino dilettante will want to continue the online experience in the comfort of his or her home.
An Africa open to technology
The technology can be expensive and requires a certain investment capacity that is sometimes difficult to find the funds for. But casino enthusiasts use it to their advantage by accessing online casinos via state-of-the-art or first-generation mobile phones, laptops and desktops. Online casino games have many advantages, especially on smartphones, primarily through mobility and the ability to play anywhere at any time. For this reason, the legalization of online gambling where it is not yet present, coupled with the accessibility of casinos on mobile phones, will be necessary criteria for online casinos to be effective in Africa’s competitive online gaming sector. To this should also be added the many welcome bonus systems, one-off bonuses, and African player retention systems that are always found on good poker, roulette and company websites.
A definite evolution
The South African market plans to increase the number of existing licensed casinos operating under offshore licences. About 38 casinos are currently in operation and the market is expected to grow over the next few years, which will hopefully lead to the rapid legalization of online gambling everywhere.
With the digital revolution and the rise of online casinos, gambling has become much more accessible to Africans. Most Africans play games from the comfort of their homes. Focusing on the evolution of Africa as a whole, the expansion of casino gambling is certain. It will generate juicy revenues and attract foreign markets to our beautiful continent which will most certainly be the next site of a great revolution in the gambling industry.
A wide range of casino games
New player bonuses, free bets, free games, increased winnings, etc., are some of the key features of successful online casino games, but it’s also the choice that makes the difference. Indeed, casino gambling sites sometimes offer hundreds of games available for each player.
Thousands of developers and programmers have been hired by online casinos to create attractive and safe websites through which players can play their favorite games. Today, thousands of sites are available for every type of player. Online casinos use the latest SSL encryption technology to ensure that their sites are safe and secure. They also have a state of the art Random Number Generator (RNG) to create a different and fair result for each game.
This way, each player has an equal chance of winning. Let’s not forget, though, that one South African has managed to win the lottery twice in one week. The chances of that happening are almost impossible, and yet it happened.
So which games are the favourites in Africa and why?
Poker
Like all countries in the world, poker is one of the most played and appreciated casino games in Africa. Texas Hold’em is the favorite poker variant. In Texas Hold’em, you are dealt two cards that you combine with the 5 community cards at the table to create a pair, two pairs, a suit or a flush.
Roulette
She turns the heads of Africans. Here nothing complicated, we bet on a color, black or red, or on a number, or on several! We turn a wheel in which a ball is located, and we wait for it to announce the square. It’s a game that allows you to bet without taking too many risks (for example, by betting on a color, you have one chance out of two to win).
Bingo
The simplest and most popular game of all time: you cross the numbers on a list when they are called. The goal is to cross them before anyone else does. There are different types of Bingo such as 90-ball and 75-ball.
Progressive Slots
Progressive slots are ranked 3rd on the list of the most famous casino games in Africa. They are mostly played because of the huge amounts of money they offer. The basic idea of progressive slots is that the reward is always increasing if it is not won. When the prize is won, the progressive slots start the same cycle with the same rules.
There are many other casino games with other variations that Africans are eager to try online.