INSIGHT AFRICA
local citizens are prevented from visiting its landmark casinos, but players are not prevented from playing via offshore sites.
In Morocco, La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS) and Loterie Nationale Maroc (SGLN) hold exclusive licences over the national lottery and sports betting products. Sports betting is also present albeit in a limited way in Tunisia via Promosport a state-owned sports betting option. Gambling in Libya and the Sudan is illegal.
In western Africa in Gambia where approximately 95 per cent of the population is Muslim gambling is legal and sports betting is becoming increasingly popular. In Mali, where 95 per cent of the population is Muslim, sports betting and horse racing is popular via Pari Mutuel Urbain PMU. In Senegal, where 96 per cent of the country’s population is estimated to be Muslim, casinos and other forms of gambling are legal and sports betting is offered by Te Senegalese National Lottery (Lonase).
INCREASED TAXES
A number of governments have also increased taxes. Tis is especially the case in jurisdictions where legalised sports betting is developed
and has become an increasingly important source of revenue. In some cases increased taxes has led to some operators to leave the market.
Although it has since returned (under a licence held by a new operator, Milestone Games), in September 2019 SportPesa said it would halt all operations in Kenya after the country’s parliament agreed to a 20 per cent tax on betting stakes. In 2023 the firm cancelled $5.80m in direct annual sponsorship for the country’s main football league and other sports, after the government increased taxes for such firms by more than four times.
Taxes have also been raised In Ghana where the gaming industry has been one of the most rapidly developing industries in the country. Tere are now around 40 licensed land based sports betting operators. In 2023 taxes on gambling were raised via Te Income Tax (Amendment) law.
Te new income tax law re- introduced a 10 per cent tax on all winnings subject at the point of payout, and a 20 per cent tax on GGR on most operators, including sports betting operators, casino, slot and online operators.
Less than one-third of the African population has
access to broadband. The continent has an internet penetration rate of just 36 per cent. While the number varies greatly for each country this can
provide a challenge to those wishing to
offer sports betting in regulated markets.
For this reason, land- based sports betting remains the most widespread form of betting due to a lack of access to the internet in many jurisdictions such as Tanzania.
INTERNET ACCESS
Shaping the market in many ways is a lack of access to the internet. Less than one-third of the African population has access to broadband. Te continent has an internet penetration rate of just 36 per cent, far below the global average of 62.5 per cent. While the number varies greatly for each country this can provide a challenge to those wishing to offer sports betting in regulated markets.
For this reason, land-based sports betting remains the most widespread form of betting due to a lack of access to the internet in many jurisdictions such as Tanzania. For years consumers in African countries have been paying some of the highest rates in the world for internet access as a proportion of income. In addition, Sub-Saharan Africans pay some of the highest rates in the world for mobile internet.
All the same the advent of mobile money and the widespread availability of smart phones have played a crucial role in the expansion of online sports betting and financial technologies will further accelerate growth in mobile money services going forwards. Kenya is a global leader in mobile
WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS P87
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