The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) highlights that the issues surrounding match-fixing are not specific to Africa, as criminals exploit the same vulnerabilities across the globe. According to the IBIA, these vulnerabilities include poor governance, financial instability, limited education on integrity issues, and insufficient reporting mechanisms.
What differentiates Africa is how rapidly its regulated betting market is advancing and the significant variation in regulatory maturity across different jurisdictions. The IBIA’s 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report reveals that Africa’s total gross gambling revenue from betting is projected to rise from $3.5 billion in 2021 to $19.4 billion by 2030. Notably, online betting is expected to be the primary driver of this growth, potentially reaching $16.4 billion by 2030, with an estimated 79% of it generated from onshore activities.
For Khalid Ali, the IBIA's CEO, this growth represents both an opportunity and a challenge. He states, “Digital, account-based betting generates valuable intelligence that licensed operators can use to identify suspicious activity before it escalates.”
Football remains the leading betting sport in Africa, accounting for about 90% of the IBIA's global football alerts, which frequently involve customer accounts located outside the jurisdiction of the event.
Ali stresses the importance of a collaborative approach to address integrity threats, stating, “Our approach therefore combines global monitoring with local partnerships.” This allows IBIA to share information about suspicious betting patterns with the relevant authorities quickly.
He emphasizes that the increase in alert numbers should not be misunderstood as a direct correlation to rising match-fixing incidents. Between 2021 and 2025, the IBIA reported 117 alerts concerning African sporting events, including 31 in 2025, representing about 10% of global alerts. In the first half of 2026, 17 alerts were recorded, something Ali interprets as continuity rather than a significant rise.
Several factors contribute to the alert numbers, including growth in betting activity and the inclusion of more Africa-focused operators in international monitoring networks. "Improved monitoring naturally increases the ability to detect suspicious patterns that may previously have gone unnoticed," Ali explains.
He reiterates that alerts should serve as an intelligence output necessitating further investigation, not as conclusive evidence of manipulation. Ali points out, “In many cases, increased alert numbers demonstrate that integrity systems are becoming more effective.” The key evaluation metric is the speed at which suspicious activity is reported to authorities and investigated.
Football and tennis have been the focus of most African-related alerts reported by the IBIA from 2021 to 2025. Ali clarifies that this concentration reflects monitoring efforts rather than definitively indicating where manipulation occurs. “It is more accurate to say that the data shows where suspicious activity is being detected rather than where manipulation is definitively concentrated,” he states.
In cases where matches are flagged, Ali highlights that the betting activity often originates from outside the host country. He notes, “Betting integrity is also increasingly international. An alert linked to an African sporting event may involve betting activity originating in Europe, Asia, or elsewhere.” This emphasizes the necessity of global monitoring for detecting cross-border betting patterns that might be invisible through isolated national systems.
Some federations in Africa have opted to limit betting on their domestic matches because of integrity concerns. Although Ali understands the rationale behind such decisions, he questions whether these restrictions actually eliminate the betting or simply shift it to less regulated markets, which lack transparency.
He emphasizes that regulated operators are capable of monitoring their customers and reporting suspicious patterns effectively through established integrity frameworks, something that is often absent in less regulated environments.
“From IBIA’s perspective, the strongest integrity outcomes come from well-regulated, competitive markets with high levels of channelisation,” Ali adds. This visibility, he argues, allows for the detection, analysis, and sharing of suspicious activities with sports authorities and regulators.
Ali expresses that the current challenge is not merely in identifying suspicious betting activities but in the subsequent steps. He underscores, “An alert is the beginning of an investigation, not the end of one.” While IBIA can identify suspicious patterns using account-level intelligence from its members, successful outcomes depend on effective cooperation across the broader integrity ecosystem, encompassing regulators, law enforcement, and sports governing bodies.
The international nature of betting complicates investigations, as alerts may involve customer accounts and evidence across different jurisdictions, necessitating cross-border cooperation.
To improve outcomes, Ali suggests focusing on enhancing legal frameworks, fostering information sharing, and investing in specialized investigative capacities. “The next step is ensuring that investigative and enforcement processes evolve at the same pace as technology,” he states.
The collaboration between IBIA and the African iGaming Alliance is seen as a significant step forward, creating a structured platform for engaging with various stakeholders across over twenty African jurisdictions. Ali hopes for the integration of integrity into licensing regulations throughout the continent. He stresses that while progress is being made, many regions still lack clear reporting protocols and integrity monitoring arrangements.
He cites Ontario and Alberta as models of best practices, where licensed operators must adhere to formal integrity monitoring frameworks and establish clear reporting obligations.
As Africa’s regulated markets continue to evolve, Ali underscores the opportunity to embed integrity measures into regulatory frameworks early on. This proactive approach could ultimately bolster confidence in both sports and regulated betting in the long run.
