Will Africa become the next hotspot for new esports athletes?

Africa is one of the world’s largest continents. It’s home to approximately 1.5 billion people, making it the second most populous with 18.68%. Only Asia boasts more people, although this is hardly a surprise when you consider that both China and India have over 1 billion people located within their respective countries.

At the same time, Africa is usually thought of as one of the poorest continents in the world. It’s known for its high poverty rates, as well as many other socio-political issues that dominate across the southern hemisphere. These issues have usually made it difficult for the countries that are based on the continent to thrive, as they don’t always have the financial means to do so.

Nonetheless, despite the troubles that are experienced across the region, there are still many who are extremely passionate and talented at the things that they love and have an interest in.

Gambling and esports boom

The gambling and esports sectors are among those that many Africans have widely enjoyed and are enthused by. The industry is thought to be growing at a substantial rate, with it believed growth could be as much as 5.81% over the next five years (2024-2029). Indeed, most will engage in sports betting activities and have already learned everything they need to know about an odds calculator to ensure they get the best bets and value when they participate in wagering, but there seems to be a growth in the popularity of esports.

The esports market is one that has started to emerge with Africans, with the gaming industry being enjoyed more widely. Given the affinity that they have with sports betting, esports have only been a natural advancement and progression of the niche and something that many are taking a keen interest in.

Could Africa make for a big esports market?

When thinking of the esports industry and the athletes that make up the sector, it’s not abnormal to witness that they come from one of three continents: Europe, America, and Asia. Indeed, each of these continents is more developed than Africa, and this is something that can be observed in terms of the technology that is available.

However, Africa could follow in years to come, especially as natives become more accustomed to gaming and the games that are involved. Many of them who engage in esports betting may be aware of games like League of Legends, Fortnite, Call of Duty and Dota 2. These games are the pinnacle of esports.

With further exposure to them, there are going to be individuals who are likely to start playing them for themselves, which could create the birth of several new stars. These players could be among some of the best to play the game and could challenge some of the best once they have the opportunities to do so.

As mentioned, Africa has the second-largest population, and it would be hard to assume that there aren’t any talented gamers out of the 1.5 billion that live there. There is likely to be plenty of potential, it’s perhaps just a matter of time before they are found and competing in the biggest esports tournaments, creating a new hotbed for esports athletes and furthering the industry.