By West African Correspondent
The rapid expansion of sports betting in West Africa is worsening economic hardship among vulnerable young people, deepening household debt and potentially contributing to certain forms of crime, according to a new policy analysis by Nigerian research and advisory firm Nextier.
The analysis, titled Betting on Despair: Poverty, Youth Gambling and Criminality in West Africa’s Urban Slums, examines the growth of gambling in low-income communities in Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
It found that betting outlets are increasingly concentrated in slums, motor parks and informal settlements, where high youth unemployment and limited economic opportunities have created fertile ground for the industry.
The report was authored by Joshua Biem, a senior policy and research analyst at Nextier, and Olive Aniunoh, a legal, policy and research consultant.
Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa’s largest gambling markets, with industry estimates cited in the analysis putting total betting revenue at as much as US$3.63 billion in 2025.
More than 60 million Nigerians, predominantly between the ages of 18 and 40, are reported to bet regularly, highlighting the scale of the market and its growing influence on household finances and consumer behaviour.
Nextier argues that the growth of betting has coincided with worsening economic conditions and limited employment prospects for young people.
Rather than providing a sustainable route out of poverty, gambling is increasingly being used as a coping mechanism by economically vulnerable people hoping to generate quick income.
“Gambling functions less as a pathway out of poverty than as a coping mechanism for it,” the authors said.
The report warns that repeated betting losses can lead to indebtedness and financial distress, while some individuals may turn to theft, fraud and other criminal activities to recover gambling losses or finance continued betting.
The findings have broader implications for West Africa’s consumer economy, particularly as betting becomes increasingly accessible through mobile phones and digital platforms.
The expansion of online gambling also presents regulators with additional challenges because consumers can place bets without physically visiting betting shops, potentially increasing the frequency and value of gambling transactions.
Nextier has called for stronger and more coordinated regulation of the gambling sector across the region.
Among its recommendations are harmonised gambling regulations, tighter age and identity verification requirements, restrictions on the location and concentration of betting outlets in vulnerable communities, and stronger monitoring of betting clusters associated with debt-related theft, fraud, cultism and other criminal activity.
The report also recommends greater investment in employment creation, vocational training and financial literacy as part of a broader strategy to reduce young people’s dependence on gambling as an alternative source of income.
The findings add to growing concerns among African policymakers and researchers that the rapid growth of betting is not simply a consumer or entertainment trend, but is increasingly intertwined with unemployment, household finances and youth economic exclusion.
