Home to 1.3 billion people from over 50 nations, Africa is the second largest continent in the world. It spans 30 million square kilometres, six time zones and eight different climate zones. It is commonly assumed that Africa is limited in technology and cut off from the rest of the online world. But in recent years, this is not quite the case, and there lies the potential, especially as this fact is not as widely known and available to most operators and suppliers.

One of the biggest factors influencing the development of the online gambling industry in Africa is the rapid growth in the popularity of mobile internet service. More than three-quarters of the continent is SIM-connected and two-thirds of the population has access to high-speed mobile internet. During 2018, six new 4G towers were opened, creating more than 120 mobile internet networks across the continent. These new connections, together with significantly cheaper smartphones, are contributing to the mass uptake of high-speed mobile internet access. Africa’s population represents 11.5% of all Internet users as of the first quarter of 2020. This in turn gives many more Africans access to online casinos and sports betting.

TOP 10 lottery website rating:

• Yesplay — 4.9 stars site link
• Sunbet — 4.5 stars site link
• Sportpesa — 4.4 stars site link
• Betsafe — 4.2 stars site link
• Betway — 4.0 stars site link
• Sportingbet — 3.9 stars site link
• Royal Panda — 3.5 stars site link
• Bet365 — 3.5 stars site link
• Gbets — 3.2 stars site link
• Supabets — 3.1 stars site link

Betting on sports is especially on trend at the moment, as young Africans follow the European football league with particular interest. Cultural homogenisation is an effect that historically occurs when a nation develops and adopts Western ideals. Traditional land-based casinos are still rare on much of the continent, but that’s not surprising given that building a land-based casino requires a much higher investment than launching an online platform. Today I’m going to compare three of the most popular online betting platforms on the African continent: YesPlay, SunBet and Sportpesa.

Yesplay – the best from the best

YesPlay is a South African based online bookmaker operated by SA Sportsbook who aims to provide you with the best possible betting experience. With a varied offering, from sports to lucky numbers and games, many regular and special promotions as well as great odds, betting could not be much easier.

Here are some of the advantages of YesPlay:

• Big selection of lotteries to bet on. There is something for everyone on YesPlay: Lotteries from all over the world, bonus offers, and even sporting events. YesPlay is not bound to lottery results only in South Africa, you can bet on the lottery from any country using the platform;
• ATM account deposits. The YesPlay player account can be deposited from an ATM in minutes! Other payment options include 1ForYou, EFT Secure, OTT Voucher, OZOW, SnapScan and VISA;
• Fast verification. It doesn’t take too long to verify your identity to work with the platform. Bettors can start gambling in a very short period of time;
• Bonuses. 100% 1st deposit welcome bonus up to R1000 for sports betting;
• Get R50 for every friend you recommend.
• WhatsApp Bonus. Send the word ‘Bonus’ via WhatsApp for a R25 bonus

The requirements for bettors are minimal: they must be over the age of eighteen and be residents of South Africa. Those who win money from betting can easily withdraw the funds to their bank account. The withdrawal process takes no more than 48 hours, which is a major advantage compared to other platforms. YesPlay has so many positive reviews and online reviews from real people that there is no reason to doubt the quality of the platform. The company is fully licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and committed to following best practices for player safety and security as well as Responsible Gambling.

How to join YesPlay

Follow these steps to start betting:

1. Go to the official YesPlay.bet website. Click the Sign Up button;

2. On the next menu, type in your mobile phone number and go through the captcha;
3. Verify your mobile number by sending an SMS with a code to be entered into the box on the website;

4. You can also sign up via Google or Facebook;
5. After registering, don’t forget to enter your SA ID in the field on the website.

Follow the steps below to make a deposit:

1. Select My Wallet from the menu of your account;

2. Click Add Funds;

3. You can transfer funds to your personal account using ATM Deposit, debit/credit card, Ozow or Snapscan.

To bet on YesPlay, click Play next to the lottery on which you wish to place your bet. Enter between 1 and 4 numbers of the anticipated draw result, choose a bet amount and then click Place Bet. If you are lucky enough to win money, you can withdraw it to your bank account or use ATM withdrawal. Simply go to My Wallet, click on Withdraw Funds and choose between the two options.

SunBet

Sunbet online is operated under the license of the Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board, so there is no doubt about the legality of this operation. SunBet International has obvious advantages. It is able to offer a high quality product at once, and with its extensive experience in the South African gambling industry, you can be sure that this firm knows what makes players happy.

As well as sports betting and horse racing, this betting firm will soon be offering lucky numbers and betting games. New customers can get a 100% bonus on their first deposit of up to R1000, plus there are daily odds raises and a weekly prediction game where you can win free bets, tickets to sporting events and more. Overall, Sunbet provides customers in South Africa with a good product. Once it adds lucky numbers and betting games, it will become more complete. However, with Sun International behind the site, we are confident that it will be able to challenge the best in the business in the coming years. It’s a good start, and when it comes to sports betting and racing, it’s worth a look. 

Sportpesa 

After conquering the Kenyan and Tanzanian markets since launching in 2014, SportPesa has made great strides in the British market in recent years, sponsoring big-name football clubs such as Everton, Arsenal, Hull City and Southampton. The company’s African subsidiary is owned and operated by Pevans East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, while UK operations are managed from the Isle of Man by TGP Europe Ltd. SportPesa is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.

Despite being a newcomer to the scene, SportPesa offers punters a good range of products and all this on a very nicely designed website. The core offering is a bookmaker with over 35 sports to bet on (including niche sports such as hockey and surfing), with thousands of pre-match, live and in-play markets available. The online casino is less extensive, but still strong. More than 330 casino games are available, including more than 300 video slots, 14 progressive jackpot games, 18 table and card games, and seven live games. Games are provided by reputable suppliers such as Play’n Go, Microgaming and Evolution Gaming.

Betsafe

Betsafe was founded in 2006 in Sweden and is based in Malta. In 2011, it was bought by the Betsson gambling group. This online bookmaker has more than 450 000 customers from over 100 countries.

The site is focused on the European market. It is available in 11 languages. Betsafe operates exclusively online under license from the Lotteries and Gambling Commission of Malta, while for the UK and Danish markets the company has obtained licenses from the UK Gambling Commission and the Danish Gambling Commission. User accounts can receive deposits in pounds, dollars, euros, Canadian dollars, Norwegian kroner, Bulgarian levs, Polish zloty, Swedish kroner and Peruvian soles.

The advantages include a wide range of events and games. In addition to sports betting, the company offers casino-live, virtual sports, live games, horse racing and poker. The bookmaker does not offer regular sign-up bonuses. One of BetSafe’s ambassadors is MMA fighter Emil Mick and Real Madrid player Eden Azar.

Betway

Betway is a European online betting site which is part of Carmen Media Group Ltd. It was founded in 2002. Its head office is located in Malta. Betway, as a fully-fledged online gambling entertainment operator, provides its customers with the opportunity to play poker, online casino games, bingo, etc. The casino is indeed with the “online” feature, as all the dealers are real and broadcast to the company’s website from a regular offline casino equipped with special hardware.

The Betway bookmaker’s website also has a traditional sports statistics section. Like the vast majority of European bookmakers, the betting office has acquired the license from the world market leader in this field, the British company Betradar.

Sportingbet

Sportingbet is one of the UK’s most established betting platforms. Sportingbet started back in 1998, which was mainly aimed at the US market. Sportingbet did quite well among American bettors, launching several other successful projects: Sports.com, Sportsbook, Paradise Poker. But the US government banned online gambling and the company had to withdraw from the US market, thus switching to other countries. 

After relocating from the United States, the bookmaker’s activity has also affected their website. It is now available in 21 languages for 26 countries. The website is conservatively designed, comfortable and easy to use and navigate. The colour scheme of the site is light, so it doesn’t bore the user with unnecessary colourfulness or blackouts. You can find a statistics section on the site, which will illustrate the pros and cons of your future bet as much as possible.

Interestingly, the site has a “Winners” section where you can find information about the biggest winnings in the past month. It happens that you can come across an example of a lucky winner who won over $150 000 with a $15 bet.

For better navigation through the available events, users are helped by the “Today” section. which will tell the player about all available matches and duels in all sports today. The Sportingbet website also has an excellent live betting service, a tech support team and a separate section on various bonuses and promotions, which take place almost daily.

Royal Panda

Royal Panda’s website is attractive with a colourful design that creates a positive atmosphere. A wide selection of games satisfies all customers. Generous bonuses make staying in the gaming room more pleasant and profitable. The gaming resource is actively developing, so that its users expect even more pleasant surprises.

The online casino features video games developed by industry leaders. The quality of products from the brands Evolution Gaming. Microgaming, ELK Studios, 1×2 Gaming, Thunderkick, NYX, Net Entertainment, is unquestionable. The range is divided into two categories: Play now and Live Casino. The former contains all the games, sorted by group. Video Slots section contains a huge number of themed virtual slots, and they take more than one day to get to know the user. They can play on conditional credits and real bets. Unforgettable entertainment will provide Blood Queen, Planet of the Apes, Butterfly Staxx, River of Riches, Renegades, Aloha! Cluster Pays, Thunderstruck II, Immortal Romance, Jack and the Beanstalk, Jurassic World and others.

Bet365

Bet365 is an international bookmaker founded in 1974 in the UK. It began accepting bets online in 2000. The owner of the company is Denise Coates. The bookmaker is geared towards European and South African players and the website is translated into 20 languages. The company is licensed to operate in eight countries.

Bet365 are pioneers in the innovation of the betting market. They were the first to give an extensive live line and offered cashback to players. Also, the bookmaker offers rather high odds on top events. In addition, Bet365 offers a first deposit bonus of up to R1000 and a cashback on a 0-0 score in football.

Gbets

Gbets.co.za is a top quality South African online sports betting site and based on their web and mobile sites, the operator can expect to earn a market share in a populous market. There are a host of competitive sites, especially among the elite well-established brands but there are not many that offer such a wide and varied range of products, services, promotions and bet-markets. The team at Gbets offer one of the largest markets with regards to diversity of sporting codes, and unlike some of the big players they also offer a full range of the ever-popular horse racing events.

Supabets

The overall experience at Supabets is a positive one. With unique and interesting promotion, a massive sign on bonus and a solid website, Supabets are a bookmaker to watch. The simplicity of the site and how easy it is to get a bet on are good. The sign on offer is also one of the biggest in South Africa and definitely worth taking advantage of! 

Conclusion

YesPlay has a great site that is an absolute pleasure to navigate and I really enjoyed using it. I do feel there is a lot of room for improvement with regards to promotions and a sign on offer but for a first time launch you have to respect what Yesplay have done. They have got off to a good start and with a few tweaks here and there they could be a fantastic betting site. Compared to two other betting platforms in my review I think it has much more potential to become one of the best sites of its kind in South Africa. Definitely worth checking it out!