Why Online Casinos are Becoming More Popular in Ghana
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Many African countries including Ghana have experienced a major increase in online casino gamblers. In fact, there has been a ride in iGaming activities across the entire continent, especially in Ghana and South Africa that alongside Kenya, have the most profitable and the fastest growing iGaming industries. When compared to the African iGaming scene from just three years ago, both online casino gaming and sports betting have massively increased across African iGaming markets.
In other words, more players started using online alternatives and moved away from traditional brick-and-mortar gambling establishments. There are several reasons behind the rising popularity of online casinos and online sports betting sites, and one of these is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In addition, advanced technologies and highly increased digitalization across the continent have also propelled the remarkable growth of online casino gaming in Ghana and several other African countries.
Research done by the Ghanaian Government indicates that there has been a surge in Ghanaian youth participation in online casino gambling activities. At the same time, the online gambling behavior of the Ghanaian youth is one of the least explored study areas. The vast majority of studies done focus on the relationship between employment and youth, development and youth, youth and education, and youth and politics. According to another report done on the African gambling scene, African countries that have the most gamblers are:
- South Africa
- Kenya
- Nigeria
- Uganda
- Tanzania
- Morocco
- Botswana
- Ghana
As this report suggests, Ghana is in the top ten African countries with most gamblers, and this does not come as a surprise considering its lenient iGaming laws and regulations. While more than eighty percent of the gambling activity on the picturesque Savanna continent comes from South African gamblers, the Ghanaian iGaming scene is one of the most lucrative on the continent.
The Future of Ghanaian Online Gaming Industry
The African gambling industry according to the latest projections is expected to grow by around 12% in five years from now. The industry’s growth is mainly fueled by the growing popularity and availability of mobile gaming devices. Mobile devices are used for gambling more by the younger population and the African countries have the biggest youth population in the world. Ghana’s youth is critical when it comes to the future of the Ghana online gaming industry.
As showcased here, many international online casino brands operate in Ghana such as 22Bet, Betway, Casino.com, 888 Casino, Jackpot City, and Mansion Casino. This means that Ghanaian players have excellent opportunities offered by successful, renowned foreign companies that have been active on the scene for quite some time. This also means that Ghanaian players have no issues with finding a reputable online casino to play classic table games, slots, and other popular titles.
With more and more international companies expanding their businesses in Ghana, the future of the Ghanaian online gaming industry looks very bright. According to a report published by ResearchAndMarkets.com, the African online gambling industry is expected to grow the most in Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, and Kenya as these are the countries with the biggest youth population. At the same time, South Africa is home to the most lucrative online gambling market in Africa. According to the latest projections, the country’s gross gaming revenues will reach the US$2 billion mark in two years from now.
Nigeria has the most lucrative market in the sub-Saharan area, according to its 2020 gross gaming revenues. Other African countries with rather welcoming gambling environments for international operators are Tanzania and Kenya. The main regulatory body for the Ghanaian gambling industry, the Ghana Gaming Commission, has been working very hard on introducing a detailed iGaming regulatory framework. While not the biggest, the Ghanaian online gambling market is the most stable and it is expected to grow.
Factors Contributing to the Rising Popularity of Online Casino Gaming in Ghana
The iGaming industry has witnessed major growth not only in Africa but also in every other country in the world where online casino gaming activities are legal and regulated. This rising popularity of online casino gaming has been very prominent in Ghana since the country has embraced new iGaming trends. Since 2016, the industry welcomed numerous new foreign operators which were mainly attracted by low margins, low licensing costs, lenient regulations, and a great potential for collecting huge profits.
While online casino gaming has been very popular among Ghanaian players for years, the popularity of gaming on the go has risen tremendously across the country in the last three years. Mobile gaming embraced by many Ghanaian players is one of the major factors contributing to the rising popularity of online casino gaming in Ghana. In fact, mobile technology proliferation and general increase of tech savvy in the country has led to the evolution of online casino gaming in Ghana.
With more and more Ghanaian residents turning to their mobile devices to gamble on the go, the adoption of mobile technologies increased as well. These trends allowed casinos serving Ghanaian players to skip the time-consuming process associated with the standard online casino gaming practices and gave them access to more advanced, more innovative technologies at significantly reduced costs. As estimated in January 2021, there were over 41 million mobile connections in the country.
When compared to the number of mobile connections in January 2020, this number increased by over 3 million in twelve months. In addition to a major increase in mobile connections, rising Internet penetration rates have also fueled the growing popularity of online casino gaming in Ghana. Also estimated in January 2021, Ghana had over 15 million active Internet users, so its Internet penetration rate stood at around 50%. So, the main factors contributing to the rising popularity of online casino gaming in Ghana include:
- Higher internet penetration rate
- Stable and reliable internet connections
- Adoption of mobile devices
- Welcoming laws and regulations
Needless to say, the online casino gaming scene depends on these trends. More active Internet users mean having a larger player base. More mobile connections also bring more online casino players. As the number of active Internet users continues to grow as the access to mobile gaming technologies continues to evolve, it is expected to see the Ghanaian iGaming scene evolving and growing as well.
All figures in Ghana are clearly suggesting that the popularity of online casinos is rapidly going up. Half of the industry’s revenue comes from mobile gaming activities and this positive trend is expected to continue in the following years. As the country’s lawmakers continue to innovate and experiment to create a more lucrative iGaming scene, the rising popularity of online casino gaming will lead to a larger pool of Ghanaian players.
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