Kenya tops Africa's sports betting market, survey finds

Kenya has emerged as Africa's most active football betting market, according to new survey data, underscoring the rapid growth of sports gambling across the continent.

The study by research firm GeoPoll found that 64 percent of Kenyan respondents had placed a football bet in the past 12 months, the highest level among the countries surveyed. That put Kenya ahead of Ghana on 60 percent, South Africa on 58 percent, Uganda on 57 percent and Nigeria on 54 percent.

Kenya also recorded the highest regular betting rate in the study, with 42 percent of respondents saying they bet on sports regularly. Active participation rates across the markets ranged from 49 percent in Ghana to 77 percent in Kenya.

The survey, conducted in June among more than 3,200 people across seven African countries, also pointed to soaring football interest. The share of Kenyans expressing interest in watching the World Cup rose from 86 percent in 2022 to 94 percent in 2026.

While Kenya leads in participation, it sits third behind South Africa and Nigeria in overall market size. The figures highlight both the commercial opportunity and the social concerns surrounding a betting boom that critics warn is fuelling problem gambling, particularly among young people.