The biggest gambling brands operating in Africa by Blask data

Africa is home to more than 50 countries and one of the world’s largest populations. Despite its scale, most African jurisdictions generate relatively low gambling revenue compared to Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, reflecting lower average player spending across the continent.

Even so, Africa is strategically important for several major operators. Some of the industry’s largest brands hold leading positions across multiple countries, while several regional specialists have built their business almost entirely around African gambling audiences.

This article examines the largest gambling brands operating in Africa based on Blask’s CEB metric and looks at the markets that contribute most to their projected revenue.

Africa’s top gambling brands by CEB

The brands featured in this analysis occupy very different positions in the global gambling industry. 1xBet ranks 7th worldwide by CEB, while Betway and betPawa are also among the global top 15.

The list combines global operators and brands whose activity is concentrated in Africa. While 1xBet operates at worldwide scale, companies such as Hollywoodbets, SportyBet, and Betika derive most of their activity from a relatively small number of countries.

The following sections examine where each brand generates the largest share of CEB and which geographies contribute most to its position in Africa.

1xBet: ten of fourteen leading markets are in Africa

1xBet is the highest-ranked brand in this analysis and one of the few truly global operators in the gambling industry. Yet a large share of its leadership positions comes from Africa.

According to Blask data, 1xBet ranks first by BAP in 14 countries worldwide. Ten of those leadership positions are located in Africa, including Algeria, Senegal, Niger, Libya, and Mauritania. No other region contributes as many first-place rankings.

Not all of these geographies contribute equally. Egypt is the brand’s largest African market by CEB and generates considerably more value than most other jurisdictions where 1xBet holds the top BAP position.

Africa accounts for most of 1xBet’s leadership positions, while Egypt contributes the largest share of value among the brand’s African geographies.

betPawa: no single country dominates its African business

betPawa ranks first by BAP in eight African countries, one of the highest totals among Africa-focused gambling brands.

Unlike several other operators in this analysis, betPawa does not depend on a single geography for most of its CEB. Tanzania and Cameroon generate the highest figures among the jurisdictions where the company leads by BAP, with approximately $186M and $151M, respectively. Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Zambia also contribute a meaningful share.

Betway: South Africa drives the business

South Africa is Betway’s largest African market by a wide margin. The country generates approximately $1.48B in CEB, while no other jurisdiction comes close to that level.

Betway also holds the top BAP position in Botswana and Mozambique. Botswana stands out for a year-over-year increase of more than 1,000% and a BAP share above 96%. Even so, its CEB amounts to only around $30M.

Hollywoodbets: almost all value comes from South Africa

Hollywoodbets operates across nine countries, but its African business is overwhelmingly concentrated in South Africa. The country’s CEB stands at approximately $987M, while every other market contributes only a fraction of that amount. 

The gap between South Africa and the rest of the portfolio is substantial. No other country contributes anywhere near the same level of volume, making Hollywoodbets one of the most geographically concentrated brands in this analysis.

SportyBet: Nigeria is the foundation of the brand’s African business

SportyBet holds the top BAP position in Nigeria, Ghana, and Sudan (not actively operating). Among these markets, Nigeria is by far the most important commercially.

The country generates approximately $242M in projected revenue, compared with roughly $36M in Ghana. No other African market comes close to Nigeria’s contribution.

Read Also: Brand demand rules African iGaming: Blask Maturity Index breakdown

Betika: Kenya leads the way

Kenya is Betika’s largest African market by CEB. The brand ranks first by BAP in the country and generates approximately $181M there.

Most of Betika’s biggest African geographies are located in East Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The brand’s activity is concentrated much more narrowly than that of 1xBet or betPawa. Kenya contributes the largest share of volume, while neighboring East African countries account for most of the remaining activity.

Bottom line

Africa generates lower player value than many other major gambling regions, yet several of the industry’s largest operators devote significant attention to the continent.

The data shows that there is no single path to scale. Betway and Hollywoodbets rely heavily on South Africa, SportyBet is centered on Nigeria, and Betika generates most of its activity in Kenya and neighboring countries. betPawa stands out for a broader distribution across multiple African geographies.