Nigeria leads Africa in online gambling regulation amid booming illegal market

Nigeria is at the forefront of online gambling regulation in Africa, despite the persistent dominance of illegal operators across the continent's rapidly expanding betting industry. A new report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI) identifies Nigeria as a regional leader in regulatory oversight.

The report, the first comprehensive assessment of online gambling across all 54 African nations, reveals that the continent's online gambling Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached $23 billion in 2025. However, a significant portion, $17.8 billion or 77%, was generated through unregulated platforms, underscoring the vast scale of illegal activities.

In West Africa, online gambling revenue climbed to $4.8 billion in 2025. Licensed operators secured $1.5 billion (31%), while unlicensed platforms controlled $3.3 billion (69%). Nigeria stood out with the lowest share of unregulated online gambling in West Africa at 56%, compared to the regional average of 69% and the continental average of 77%.

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the report provides regulators with the first continent-wide benchmark for improving oversight, strengthening enforcement and protecting consumers.

Participation in online gambling across Africa grew from 198 million people in 2024 to 215 million in 2025. This expansion, however, comes at a cost. Illegal gambling operators are estimated to have deprived African governments of approximately $3.55 billion in tax revenue in 2025. The number of unlicensed platforms targeting African consumers also increased to 4,129 in 2025.

GCI Chief Executive Officer Matt Holt stated the report offers regulators a continent-wide benchmark for improving oversight and consumer protection. GCI President Ismail Vali urged African governments to foster competitive, well-regulated markets to encourage patronage of licensed operators, boost public revenue, and attract investment.

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African governments to build competitive and well-regulated gambling markets that would encourage consumers to patronise licensed operators, increase public revenue and attract more investment into the sector.