Among all African states, the Republic of South Africa is considered one of the most prosperous (its GDP is the second largest on the continent). The turnover of the betting market in South Africa is about 405 million dollars. Let’s talk about how the locals and the government feel about betting on sports.
While online casinos are strictly prohibited in South Africa (you can get a fine or even jail time for playing), things are very different when it comes to betting. Controlled by the National Gambling Regulator, betting operators work in nine provinces of the country.
According to a report by the National Gambling Board, sports betting is the most popular form of gambling among residents. Thus there are 266 betting companies and 971 betting operators in South Africa. But there are only 38 casinos in the country. The difference is impressive.
According to statistics, about 50% of adult South Africans (18 to 40 years) bet on a regular basis. And the majority of citizens of the country make bets about once a month. On average, one such player bets on sports from $12 to $15 per day. Moreover, bettors from South Africa prefer to bet $1 or $2 on one event but to play at high odds.
They pay a tax of 15% on winnings, it is prohibited by law to use the services of illegal operators or offshore firms. The most popular licensed betting companies in South Africa are Betway, Golden Race, Scorebet SA, Sportingbet, Betvictor, World Sports Betting and Sunbet.
Bookmakers offer locals a variety of betting options on more than 30 sports, but soccer, cricket, golf and rugby are particularly popular. This situation occasionally causes scandals. Thus, the South African Football Association demanded to pay a percentage of bets made in South Africa. Officials argued their request by the fact that from 60% to 90% of all bets in the country are made, namely on soccer matches. However, not only the local championship but also European leagues are very popular among young Africans. Current forecasts for soccer tournaments in different countries can be found here: https://www.telecomasia.net/sports-betting/tips/football/.
Experts predict that in the next few years the popularity of sports betting will only grow. This is due to the fact that online betting is developing in the country, which the young population of South Africa is enthusiastic about. Bookmakers are introducing new technologies and developing convenient applications for smartphones. This yield results. Thus, according to recent studies, most bettors use mobile devices to make bets.
The prices of smartphones are falling, so they are becoming more common even in the poorest countries of the African continent. 5G networks have recently been launched, giving another boost to the popularity of online betting. The region even has SMS betting, something not found in Europe or the United States.
However, bookmakers realize that the development of mobile networks alone is not enough to attract new customers and increase the audience. Therefore, in the near future, companies will focus on improving the user interface of their sites and applications, updating the design and content offered.
It is safe to say that sports betting in South Africa have great prospects.