As the landscape of sports betting evolves in Africa, so too does the need for platforms that can keep up with the fast-paced demands of its users. For those eager to engage with both traditional and virtual sports betting, accessing a platform like Hollywoodbets becomes essential. You can start by visiting https://ghanasoccernet.com/za/app-reviews/hollywoodbets-app/ to ensure you’re equipped with one of the best tools in the market. This seamless integration of technology and betting is reflective of the broader trends in the African sports betting industry, where innovation meets the deep-rooted passion for sports.
Sports betting is at the height of its popularity across Africa. In addition to traditional sports, young, tech-savvy African punters are increasingly turning to virtual sports, attracted by the endless betting opportunities. Read more about the development of virtual sports in Africa later in this article.
Thanks mainly to technological advances and a growing population that loves sports (especially football), the African market is experiencing a betting boom. But beyond traditional betting, African punters are becoming fans of virtual sports.
Real, virtual and cybersports
Real, virtual and cybersports have some major differences.
Traditional live football matches follow a set schedule. A real match goes for 90 minutes and sometimes only takes place once a week. Virtual football matches take place all the time and last only a few minutes, and the results are published immediately.
The terms “virtual sports” and “cybersports” are often used interchangeably, but they are two separate betting products. While virtual sports is a simulation of sporting events, cybersports is the competition of professional gamers against each other, such as DotA 2 or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Why do African players like virtual sports so much?
Virtual sports are favoured by tech-savvy football fans who prefer to bet smaller amounts of money but in larger volumes. And that description fits almost perfectly with the portrait of today’s African players. Take a look at the age of the players and their love of technology, and you can see why the all-encompassing love of betting extends to virtual sports.
Youth is a defining feature of African demography. According to UN-Habitat, 35 per cent of the continent’s population (that’s about 420 million people) is between 15 and 35 years old. Sports betting enthusiasts around the world are more likely to be young people, and this is especially true in Africa. A recent survey from GeoPoll found that 54% of Sub-Saharan African natives between the ages of 17 and 35 have tried betting at least once.
Africans often prefer betting from mobile devices. According to GeoPoll, 75% of customers bet from their phone. As mobile internet penetration on the continent has soared, punters in some countries are more likely to have a mobile phone than a laptop.
Virtual sport suits the lifestyle of young and tech-savvy players
One last reason why virtual sport is so popular: it suits the lifestyle and mindset of modern players. It is available 24/7, offers thousands of games a day, and has no seasonality or scarcity of events to bet on.
What to expect in the future
Any formula for success is built on who each country should be considered individually. Virtual sports allows operators to customise a product for each market. Football is the obvious choice, but other products like dog racing or horse racing depend on regional preferences.
The ability to opt for high-frequency and short-term betting suits the fast-paced lifestyle of most punters. And given the technological improvements, the growth in sports betting revenue and Africa’s young and growing audience, it’s no wonder why operators see the continent as a successful market for virtual sports betting.
The potential impact of virtual sports on sports betting can be compared to how video streaming technology has exploded the world of entertainment. When unlimited entertainment became available from the comfort of home, going to the cinema for a premiere became more of a chore than an event. Thus, virtual sports became always available and young Africans realised that waiting for a real match was just a waste of time.
When exploring the growing potential of virtual sports betting (like any other product) in Africa, it is important to realise that development in Africa does not necessarily follow the same scenario as development in the rest of the world. Understanding the future of the African betting market depends on analysing its current situation rather than looking at it through the prism of European or Asian market developments.
Investors can take into account that Africa has its own way of development. Just look at communication: mobile internet connections are off the charts, in Kenya they are almost 100 per cent, with other African nations showing similar figures. And while the Western world went through the stage of fixed telephone lines before moving to a new level of technological development, they have lost their relevance in Africa before they could take root.
