Online Sports betting has exploded in popularity since its adoption in 2007 in Africa, becoming a mainstream business, particularly among young men. WHO studies indicate that young Africans are spending increasing amounts of time and money on gambling.
While sports betting does generate significant tax revenue for countries, it has also revealed troubling effects on the youth, including financial repercussions since the advent of online sports betting, marked by a rise in bankruptcies, suicides, and debt.
The industry has burgeoned into a multibillion-dollar sector, yet it has simultaneously become a burden for many Africans, especially young men. Bankruptcies have surged, and suicides have risen unexpectedly in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria, where online sports betting is legal.
Recent studies have shown that money intended for investment and school fees has been squandered on gambling instead. Young men are dedicating hours each day to gambling, often at the expense of work and education. “Vincent Ochieng,” a Kenyan from Kisumu and a polytechnic student studying Information and Communication, who lost all his school fees and business to betting on Aviator, has found himself living on the streets. “I was introduced to the betting platforms by a school friend; when I realised I had lost half of my school fees on the spot, I felt compelled to give it one more shot in hopes of recovering, not realising I was caught in a trap.”
However, the Kenyan authorities have attempted to implement measures to curb and regulate gambling’s negative impact, with Kenya’s media regulator issuing a stern ultimatum to television and radio stations: reduce the betting and gambling content or risk losing their broadcasting licences.
In a strict directive, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), under the leadership of Director General David Mugonyi, granted broadcasters a two-week ultimatum to rectify the situation. This warning follows numerous complaints from viewers and listeners fatigued by the incessant barrage of betting adverts and gambling programmes on air. It is alarming that bettors spend hours daily navigating their mobile phones to understand which platforms to gamble on.
The effects of online sports betting were more striking among younger African men aged 18 to 25 in countries like Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, spending hours on social media, leisure, and socialising at the expense of education instead of utilising their meaningful time wisely. Sports betting has officially gone mainstream in South Africa, and the numbers show it’s not just about punting anymore but about power, presence, and precision in marketing.
For the 12 months to March 2025, combined advertising spend by gambling and betting brands in South Africa reaches a staggering R2.6billion. That’s more than many of the country’s traditional heavyweight sectors like telecoms invested in the same period. However, this is a statement that online sports betting brands use juicy marketing promotions to lure young Africans into gambling.
