South Africa Leads 48-Country Survey on Online Gambling Participation with Ghana and Nigeria in Top 10

South Africa recorded a 32.3% monthly online gambling participation rate among internet users aged 16 and older. Ghana posted 21.5% and Nigeria 18%, placing all three African markets in the top 10 of a survey covering 48 countries. The data come from GWI figures for the second quarter of 2025.

Norway followed at 31.2%, Greece stood at 25.8%, and New Zealand reached 24%. Ghana tied for fifth while Nigeria tied for tenth. These rankings rest solely on reported visits to gambling websites or apps.

Measuring Platform Access Rather Than Wagering Behavior

The survey tracks the percentage of users who accessed online gambling or betting platforms during the prior month. It does not measure how many placed bets, how much they spent, or whether any developed gambling-related problems. This distinction matters for any regulatory or commercial assessment of the numbers.

In South Africa the National Gambling Board reported approximately R1.5 trillion in industry turnover for the 2024/25 financial year. That turnover reflects total stakes placed rather than operator revenue or participation rates. The two datasets therefore address separate questions and cannot be merged without further analysis.

The same limitation applies to Ghana and Nigeria, each governed by its own regulatory framework. The survey supplies no information on the causes behind the observed participation levels.

The Value of Granular Follow-Up Data

As reported by the Times of Casino, country-specific research is required to determine whether these participation rates have shifted, to quantify actual user expenditure, and to isolate the roles played by regulation and advertising. Until that work appears, the headline figures remain a narrow snapshot rather than a basis for firm operational or policy decisions.