Blask\u2019s latest data revealed that offshore operators accounted for 98.2 per cent <\/strong>of the online gaming market in Mali, placing the country fourth globally in the ranking. Morocco followed in fifth place at 64.1 per cent<\/strong>, while Gabon ranked ninth with an offshore share of 40 per cent<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The figures put the three African markets among a group of jurisdictions where a substantial proportion of online gambling demand is being directed towards operators based outside the domestic regulated market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ranking is based on the Blask Index, which measures online player demand rather than betting revenue or the amount of money wagered. The index uses digital signals, including search behaviour, to assess interest in gambling brands. Blask then compares that demand between locally licensed operators and offshore brands serving players without a local licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mali\u2019s 98.2 per cent share is the most striking of the three. It indicates that almost all of the online gaming activity captured by Blask in the country was linked to offshore operators. The high share comes against a regulatory environment that is still developing. Mali is working on a more comprehensive framework for online gambling, including a dedicated regulatory authority and taxation measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implementation of the new gambling rules could give Mali greater control over online gambling activity and create a clearer route for operators to enter the regulated market. Whether this changes the current offshore-heavy picture will depend on how effectively the new system is implemented and enforced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more established gambling structure exists in Morocco, but online gaming demand remains heavily exposed to offshore operators. The country has, however, taken steps to capture more of this activity through taxation. Since July 2025, winnings from offshore betting sites have been subject to a 30 per cent withholding tax, alongside a 2 per cent solidarity contribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authorities have also attempted to restrict access to unauthorised foreign betting platforms. A court ruling in January 2026 ordered telecom companies to block a number of offshore betting websites, although an appeals court subsequently suspended the blocking measure, allowing offshore platforms to remain accessible while the legal process continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Gabon\u2019s figure is lower than those recorded in Mali and Morocco, it still represents a substantial share of the market. However, the country is in the process of revising its gambling licensing framework as part of wider regulatory changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Existing licences and declarations entered an expiry process in April 2026, while operators were given until July 7 to regularise their positions under the new framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the new licensing system is effectively implemented and more operators move into the regulated market, there is a high chance that Gabon\u2019s offshore share will have considerably reduced by the next Blask assessment.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/08\/photo-1629723515744-9ece210b6ddd-300x200.jpg\")
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