Nigeria tops Africa’s online gambling regulation, new report finds

A Gaming Compliance International report shows Africa’s online gambling gross gaming revenue reached $23 billion in 2025, but only $5.2 billion (23 %) was generated by licensed operators while $17.8 billion (77 %) remained in the unregulated sector. Participation rose to 215 million people (about 14 % of the continent) and the number of illegal platforms grew to 4,129.

Nigeria performed best, with the smallest unregulated share at 56 % of its market, compared with 69 % in West Africa and 77 % across Africa. The study warns that illegal operators may have deprived African governments of roughly $3.55 billion in tax revenue and urges regulators to adopt outcome‑based, market‑wide rules, including balanced tax policies for customers and operators. “The purpose of regulation is to regulate the marketplace,” the report said.