Despite a packed schedule of 52 matches spread across 19 days, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) had a negligible impact on the region’s online gambling market, according to new data from Blask.
The tournament, hosted by Morocco and concluding on January 18, was expected to drive a surge in betting activity, particularly in nations with favorite teams like Senegal, Nigeria, and Egypt. However, Blask’s index reveals that betting demand in these key markets remained mostly flat, with daily patterns mirroring typical non-tournament trends.
Cannibalization Effects
The data suggests that while fans did place live bets during matches, this activity often came at the expense of other verticals. Gambling demand frequently dropped or stayed stagnant when national teams were playing, indicating that players shifted their time away from casino games to watch the football, preventing an overall rise in activity.
The only significant spike in the index occurred on December 26, coinciding with a high-profile group stage match between hosts Morocco and Mali, which benefited from a fan-friendly evening kickoff.
Nigeria’s Market Shake-Up
While the overall market didn’t grow, the tournament did trigger a shift in market share leadership in Nigeria. Typically dominated by a duopoly, the Nigerian market saw SportyBet overtake long-time leader Bet9ja during the tournament. Blask reported that SportyBet claimed the top spot on most days, specifically capturing the majority of activity during matches involving the Nigerian national team.
Overall, the data confirms that while AFCON 2025 captured the continent’s attention, that engagement did not translate into the iGaming boom many operators had anticipated.
