In recent years, the increase in the use of smart and portable devices on the African continent as well as the enhanced internet coverage and accessibility have all influenced the online gambling market in the region. These next few lines will dig deeper into the topic of mobile phone penetration in African countries like Nigeria, Morocco, or Tunisia and discuss the undeniable influence of mobile technology on players here. We will also try to catch a glimpse into what the future will hold for the African real money casinos and betting sites.
Top Online Casinos And Sports Betting Sites In Africa
What Is Mobile Phone Penetration?
To understand the importance of mobile phone penetration and its rate on the continent, it is critical to first try to explain the concept. Basically, there are several definitions that we are going to mention here, as follows:
-
the penetration of unique mobile service subscribers: a percentage of the total population in a country defined by the number of unique individuals who are owners of mobile phones
-
the penetration of SIM cards: this term refers to the total number of SIM cards that are currently connected in a country, measured in the form of a percentage of the total population
-
the penetration of mobile access: this term refers to the number of individuals who can regularly access a mobile device, whether they own one or not
While these terms and definitions are normally used interchangeably, acknowledging the slight differences between them is helpful in better understanding the official sub-Saharan African mobile penetration statistics. Below we are going to reveal a few of the most important of them.
The Evolution Of The African Mobile Penetration Rates
In the last few years, the penetration rate for mobile phones in the area has surged. GSMA, one of the most reputable global operators of mobile networks, has released a report speaking about over 747 million SIM connections in the entire sub-Saharan African region. That is around 75% of the population here. Nonetheless, getting the most accurate estimates regarding the number of unique mobile network subscribers or the number of Africans with access to a mobile phone is more difficult to do. Why? Because of a variety of issues regarding people switching between different SIM cards in order to benefit from various network deals or in order to have access to a network when another one is not working. There are also plenty of people who do not personally own a mobile phone, but who are given access to a friend's or relative's phone. A few years ago, around 6 out of 10 Kenyans did not own a personal mobile phone, but rather shared one with another person.
-
According to a different study completed by the Pew Research Center in 2017, more than ninety per cent of the adult population in South Africa owned a mobile phone, with more than half of them owning a smartphone.
-
9 out of 10 people in Ghana owned a mobile phone.
-
Close to 80 per cent of the people of Senegal were mobile phone owners, and close to 35 per cent of them enjoyed the perks of smartphones.
-
In countries like Kenya and Nigeria, the mobile phone ownership rate had reached 80 per cent.
-
Seventy-five per cent of the Tanzanian population owned a mobile phone.
In 2019, a GSMA report focusing on West Africa revealed a penetration rate for SIM connection of around 86 per cent. Mobile internet also recorded a 26% rate of penetration. The use of smartphones and the internet on mobile devices is projected to keep growing at a faster rate compared to the general use of mobile phones in the upcoming years. By the year 2025, mobile internet is expected to reach a penetration rate of forty per cent in Western African countries.
How Mobile Access Has Changed The Face Of Online Gambling In Sub-Saharan African Countries
Provided mobile phones and internet access, in general, would be extremely low and limited in the region, those nations mostly located in rural areas would not have the necessary resources to grow their GDP. With the help of the continuously developing mobile technology, lots of African countries have managed to stay up-to-date with global trading, while also embracing fresh innovations.
Mobile And Online Casinos In Kenya
For example, Kenya and its economy are one of the best examples where you will not only find some of the best mobile casinos in Africa but also one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.
Once the laws regarding telecommunications have changed at the end of the nineties, the country's economy went through some serious transformations. The rate for mobile phone penetration went from just 1% back in 2002 to a staggering 39% in 2014, reaching 100.1% in 2019 in terms of SIM connectivity. This has also encouraged additional changes such as the development of the Kenya Internet Exchange point, a powerful global routing hub for Kenyan mobile technology, as well as advanced Internet of Things technologies and mobile banking. All these have allowed Kenyans to access and enjoy some of the most popular online casinos in Kenya with excellent selections of games from top providers worldwide, generous casino bonuses, top customer support services, and the safest mobile banking options.
Nigerian Casinos Online
In 2020, close to 42 per cent of Nigerians have accessed the internet using a mobile device, with more than 85 million users of mobile internet. The numbers are expected to reach close to 65 per cent by 2025. Nigerian casinos online are, as expected, also very popular and accessed here, thanks to their fine welcome bonuses and premium banking solutions on the go.
Moroccan Casinos Online
According to a report from the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency in Morocco, the number of subscribers to their internet service has increased by 17%, reaching close to 30 million and taking the rate of penetration up to 83%. Also, the rate of smartphone penetration has also surpassed 137%, recording close to 5.5 million users at the end of 2020. This has helped the mobile gaming market in the country to also be flooded with top Moroccan casinos online, considerably growing the online gambling market here.
What The Future Holds For Mobile Casinos In Africa
With the mobile phone rates going up at a fast rate in the majority of countries in the Sub-Saharan region in Africa and the prices of mobile devices and advanced mobile technologies dropping by the day, the future looks bright. How bright? According to data from the GSMA, around one billion Africans will own a SIM card by the year 2025, with similar figures expected to be reached in terms of smartphones as well as mobile internet accessibility.
The best real money casinos in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, or Tunisia that can be accessed on mobile devices host the most rewarding online casino bonuses, rich gaming libraries with top graphics. Take a look at some of our hottest African online casino reviews today!
