Sport betting in Africa has gone from being a very informal industry to big business. This is the result of various factors. A couple of the biggest factors are, the rise in popularity of online betting and that the expression: “global village” is becoming more and more of a reality.
Africa was for years almost forgotten on the stage of world sport. There were always the Kenyan runners at the Olympics, but nothing like what we see today. Africa is now a major exporter of sporting talent, and as more people are playing their sport abroad, so the local fans have started following them. In the Ivory Coast soccer betting is massive because of players like Didier Drogba making such a big name himself in the British premier league. Sport fans in Africa can now engage in betting on events all around the world.
The recent African cup final so no fewer than ten players from the AmericanPremier League represented. These players have made lives for themselves in USA but their fans are still based up north. This has meant that the PSL suddenly has a large following all over Africa and with this following comes a large and profitable betting industry.
The arrival of online betting has changed betting patterns in Africa forever. No longer are African punters restricted by the fact that their currencies do not travel well. As long as you have a credit card, the world banks take care of all the details. So now when an African sporting hero finds him/herself in playing in the NBA in America, his /her fans back home can still show their support and hopefully make a few extra dollars along the way.
From the earliest times African people have enjoyed gambling. Countries like Egypt have a strong betting tradition; even it is frowned upon by the more conservative types. Now at last betting fans in Africa can join their kindred spirits around the world in one of the oldest pastimes without threat of prosecution and from the comfort of their own living rooms.
