Mobile gambling is one of the most innovative gaming markets that has emerged over the last decade. While online casinos have always looked to integrate the latest tech innovations, mobile gambling has picked up the baton and brought the industry into the 2020s.
In Nigeria, where the market is one of the biggest potential markets on the planet, casino companies are fiercely battling behind the scenes to bring in more players. It’s the accessibility of mobile gambling and casino apps that has fuelled some of the sharpest growth over the last decade, but what are some of the key reasons behind this growth? Let’s dive in and take a look.
More legitimacy for the industry
In the early days of online casino gaming in Nigeria, it was a Wild West of an industry. This was the case throughout the online gambling world prior to regulations being brought in across Europe, North America and the rest of the African continent. Nigerian casino providers were looking for ways to capture the immense potential that exists in what is the largest market in Africa by quite some distance.
As soon as the regulators started to set this framework in play, there were hundreds of companies looking to tap into this vast Nigerian market. In addition to the size of the market expanding exponentially, the rise of AskGamblers and other expert resources has also helped to provide more legitimacy.
No longer were casinos simply targeting people with pop-up adverts and mass e-mail marketing campaigns. Experts who, in some cases, have decades of experience, now leverage their experience to provide unique insights into the casinos they rate most highly.
Not only does this cut through the noise, but the insight of expert opinion helps to increase the reputability of the broader industry, particularly in developing casino markets that are not as established as those in other continents.
Mobile devices – the new one-stop shop for entertainment
The emergence of the first iPhone was a revelation, but even in 2007, when it first hit shelves, we were still a few years away from mobile gaming capabilities reaching the level we see today.
In the modern market, we can watch movies, listen to music, do our banking, listen to podcasts and watch documentaries on our phones. Online casino gaming companies recognised this potential early on. By the early 2010s, gambling apps were considered some of the most pioneering new technology anywhere in the iGaming world.
It wasn’t just the underpinning technology that made the rise of mobile gambling apps such a huge talking point in the casino gaming industry; it was a broader, societal switch, both in Nigeria and internationally, that opened up fresh avenues for this new form of betting.
As more smartphones flooded the market, the number of Nigerians who could access these platforms started to expand significantly. Although data from Statista shows that the market is growing in Nigeria, there are still tens of millions of citizens who do not own a smartphone.
As Nigeria experiences increased smartphone adoption, similar to what was seen throughout Europe in the 2010s, this will go hand in hand with the rise of mobile gambling apps. While some people believe we are nearing the end of this era in the West, there are still vast numbers of people in Nigeria who do not own a device, which will inevitably lead to opportunity.
They’re easier to access, and internet speeds and quality are improving in Nigeria, particularly in the cities. This will further contribute to the rise of betting apps.
Global interconnectedness
Unlike the regional gambling markets that existed in the early 21st century that were scattered throughout Nigeria, the rise of the internet has enabled those who enjoy online gambling to benefit from the global innovations introduced by the online casino industry.
No longer are regional providers keeping a firm grip on the market. Global players in the online betting world, ranging from sportsbooks to online casinos, are now able to bring their world-leading innovations and game designs to a new market and a new continent.
Obviously, given there is a growing demand for mobile gambling apps and a potential market of over 100 million people in Nigeria, providers have quickly crowded the market. However, as the highest-rated brands have established a global reputation, Nigerians are able to seek out sites with a good reputation and a visible presence. All these things contribute significantly to regional growth.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, although Nigeria may have been slower to adopt smartphones, we’re seeing the rise of mobile gaming apps, sportsbooks and online casinos follow a similar curve to that seen in European and North American markets.
This rise will continue to be fuelled by the growth of smartphone adoption, their increasing availability, the affordability of the devices, their gaming capabilities and the continued push for Nigeria to provide greater levels of internet connectivity and speed to both crowded cities and rural areas.
With online casinos and sportsbooks continuing to surprise business analysts with their global growth, we can expect the market to expand in Nigeria between now and the end of the decade and beyond.
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