The only region in the world to register significant growth in youth population is Africa. By 2050 those aged between 0-24 years old in Africa’s population will increase by nearly 50 percent. Therefore, Africa will record the highest number of young people. Isn’t it apparent that a continent composed of a large youth population will hold a bright future for mobile and gaming as a whole? 

With the Covid-19 lockdown and imposition of restrictions, the entertainment streaming and gaming industries are flourishing.

Mobile Expansion and Markets

It is hard to believe but, in Africa, mobile gaming generates half of the revenue compared to the annual revenue production of the gaming industry. The continent has a growing market for gaming and smartphone companies as more than 200 million Africans are below the age of 35, and this will double in a decade. 

With the spreading of Mobile tech, Africa is also paving the way for legal betting and gaming. The increasing market penetration of mobile applications and the rising demand for online games will help the industry gain new players in the field over the next few years. 

Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Algeria are the largest gaming markets in Africa when compared by the production of revenue. Since the year 2017, each country has generated more than $100 million in video sales. Also, many game developers who started their journey as part-time workers have recognized the transition and the growth in their financial status with the expansion of the gaming industry. 

The Big Players

More than 781 games are from the South African publishers on Google Play. One of the biggest and successful game publishers is Wild Foot Games that have also secured the top position. They build 3D animal simulators and have developed many mobile games including, Spider World Multiplayer, Horses of the Forest, Clan of Griffin, etc. This South African mobile game publisher owns 126 mobile games that have been downloaded more than 90.43m+ times together. 

TANGIAPPS IT Solution Private Limited, an Indian IT company, has secured the second position. They build apps and software for JAVA, Android, iOS, and Windows platforms, and have also developed and published many cricket and adventurous games. The company owns 36 mobile games that have been downloaded for more than 35.95m+times.  

The third biggest South African game publisher is Distinct Media. Based in South Africa, this game publisher has created iconic games that include Its Titanic, Nuclear Strike bomber, Tornado Strike zone, and many such amazing games. They have a total download of 3.08m+times and own ten mobile games. 

Based in South Africa and with the introduction of games that use Artificial Intelligence iGindis has successfully secured the fourth position among the biggest South African game publishers. iGindis has developed World Empire 2027, Middle East Empire 2027, Europe Empire 2027, Asia Empire 2027, and more. Their games even allow the users to make friends all over the world. Currently, they own six mobile games with more than 679.88k+ times downloads. 

Video Gaming Betting go hand in hand

Africans are passionate about sports, and the youth are addicted to European Football Leagues and other FIFA events, followed by other sports that they are zealous about, such as Cricket, Basketball, and races. 

With the rising demands of mobile devices, Africans are also taking the pleasure of mobile sports betting, and out of all, Betway betting app is one of the safest betting apps to wager on your favorite sports. Betway app download can be done from both the official website and AppStore (iPhone). Also, Betway is a licensed company regulated by Malta Gaming Authority; being SSL-encrypted and eCOGRA certified makes this app safe and trustworthy.  

How can Technology Revolutionize the Sports Industry?

The introduction of 5G Technology has transformed the world. South Africa was the first country, followed by Kenya in Africa to test this technology. The large-scale use of smartphones even in the remotest parts of the continent along with the advancement of technology turned into the perfect amalgamation for the success of the betting and gaming industry. The inauguration of the 5G network in Africa’s tech hub will invite more players in the betting industry that will eventually consider this to be a lucrative field.

Kenyan communities have been engaging in physical activities for recreational and health purposes. As a result, several indigenous sports have existed in Kenya as part of the communities’ culture and a way of life. Examples of sports that have been around since antiquity include hunting, stick fights, racing, and wrestling. However, after British colonization in Kenya, the sports scenario in the country changed, leading to the formation of professional teams in the form of clubs. Thanks to this shift and further development, betting fans can bet with 22Bet in Kenya on various sports. So how have sports progressed in Kenya over the years?

Many Sports Are Popular In Kenya

Currently, many sports are popular in the country. Kenyans engage in sports activities for fun and at a professional level. Some of the most loved sports in the country include athletics, rugby, football, volleyball, and basketball. Other sports that command a considerable following in Kenya include motorsport, martial arts, hockey, boxing, and handball.

Despite all these sports being popular in Kenya, the first thing that comes to mind when you mention Kenya and sports in the same sentence is athletics. Over the years, Kenya has established itself as a global leader when it comes to athletics. Kenyan athletes have made the country proud by winning medals and setting records in the most respected global competitions.

Besides athletics, Kenya also showed the world that they could play other sports by winning the 2016 HSBC Rugby Sevens in Singapore. The popularity of sports has seen it used in many other social activities. For example, sports have been used to promote peace in various parts of the country.

Sports Start-Ups

The development of sports has led to the emergence of sports personalities that have grown to become big brands. As a result, Kenya has witnessed a growing number of sports management companies. These are firms that help talented sports personalities to reach their potential and maximize their financial potential in their career.   

These companies help the sports personalities with services such as social media optimization, building their brands, planning, and management of competitions and marketing. It is such companies that have seen several Kenyan athletes land lucrative deals as brand ambassadors. Furthermore, several footballers have landed contracts with teams in Europe and Asia.

Initially, Kenyan athletes used to make a lot of money, but once they retired from sports, they had nothing to show for it. However, these sports companies have helped Kenyan athletes to take care of their finances better and manage their careers better.

What about Technology?

Kenyan sports associations have chosen to tap into the potential of technology in sports. For example, the Kenyan Taekwondo has embraced technology, making it the first sports federation in Africa to embrace a Global Management System. The system will help the federation collect, store and manage data on all athletes associated with it. The federation officials claim that the system will help them get rid of quacks interfering with sports events.

On the other hand, the national women’s volleyball team has also embraced technology. The team introduced catapult, a sports performance analytics gadget that measures the athletes’ work rate. By monitoring the players’ work rate, the coaches are able to plan for strength and conditioning exercises.

Final Thoughts

Sports have come a long way in Kenya. The development of sports in the country can be attributed to several factors. However, sports organizations and technology seem to be holding to the future of sports in the country. Sports personalities will be looking at these two factors keenly in the foreseeable future.