Ghana's iGaming sector is facing growing difficulties in preventing fraud, despite Africa as a whole making strides in cutting down fraudulent activities within the industry. New data from Sumsub, a comprehensive verification service, indicates that Ghana experienced one of the most significant rises in fraudulent actions over the past year, highlighting the critical need for improved verification and compliance strategies.
The data presents a concerning scenario: the rate of identity fraud (representing the percentage of fraudulent verification attempts) across all sectors in Ghana increased to 3.94% in Q2 2025, nearly twice the continental average of 2.27%.
The issue is especially severe in the iGaming industry. Fraud within the sector increased by more than double in a single year, rising from 2.33% in Q2 2024 to 5.76% in Q2 2025. This concerning rise stands in contrast to broader regional trends, as Africa's iGaming market saw a 14.7% decrease in fraud over the last two years.
Hannas Bezuidenhout, VP of Sales for Africa at Sumsub, states, 'Ghana's data presents a distinct path compared to the rest of the continent. Although Africa has shown that investing in strong verification processes can cut down fraud without hindering growth, Ghana's situation illustrates what occurs when fraudsters outpace compliance systems. This serves as a reminder for operators to bridge this gap using AI-based solutions and ongoing surveillance.'
Fraud is increasing worldwide. According toThe Status of Identity Verification in the iGaming Sector 2025A report published earlier this year by Sumsub revealed that identity fraud in the sector almost doubled globally, increasing from 0.70% in 2023 to 1.39% in early 2025. Over 82% of the iGaming operators surveyed noted a rise in fraudulent activities.
Latin America experienced the largest surge, with fraud increasing by nearly 32%, while established markets in Europe and North America also witnessed consistent growth.
In contrast, Africa went against the trend. Fraud across the continent decreased as companies implemented more robust verification methods and invested in compliance technology. However, fraud levels in Africa are still notably high, reaching 2.55% in 2025 (only the Asia-Pacific region has a higher fraud rate, surpassing 3% of all verification attempts), and the continent's verification success rate—currently at 68.98%—is lower than global averages of 80–90%.
Verification continues to be both a strength and a challenge for Africa," states Richy Emah, Regional Business Development Director for North and West Africa at Sumsub. "Although there has been noticeable progress, the difference in pass rates when compared to established markets indicates that obstacles still exist, putting operators at risk of losing income. Ghana's fraud patterns highlight the importance of developing smooth, secure, and regionally tailored verification methods.
New Scam Methods, New Approaches
The iGaming 2025 Reportalso emphasizes a change in fraudulent activities:
- There is a noticeable increase in fraudulent activities during non-business hours, especially between 4 AM and 8 AM, when monitoring resources are limited.
- More instances of fraud are taking place after registration, with 41.9% of operators indicating that the deposit process experiences the highest levels of attacks.
- Fraud driven by artificial intelligence, such as deepfakes, increased by 700% worldwide from 2024 to 2025, increasing the risks for those involved.
In response to these risks, the report recommends ongoing verification throughout the entire player process, covering deposits and withdrawals, not only during registration. Advances like document-free verification and reusable KYC are also cutting down onboarding time—currently averaging 25 seconds worldwide—while enhancing protection against fraud.
Regulatory Pressure Building Up
In various parts of Africa, governments are implementing stricter regulations to address fraud within the iGaming sector. South Africa's Travel Rule mandates more detailed data gathering for cryptocurrency transactions, while Nigeria's NLRC is enhancing its monitoring of unauthorized platforms. Kenya has also taken steps to link betting operators with national ID systems.
In Ghana, the significant increase in fraudulent activities brings attention to both regulators and service providers. With the market expanding, more robust systems will be necessary to safeguard participants, income, and the industry's sustained credibility.
Looking Ahead
The The Status of Identity Verification in the iGaming Sector 2025 Reportand unique insights from Sumsub indicate that Ghana, similar to other parts of Africa, needs to leverage technology-based compliance to remain ahead of more advanced fraud schemes.
Operators in Ghana have options," warns Richy Emah. "They can keep taking on increasing fraud losses, or they can invest now in AI-driven fraud detection systems that will not only safeguard their platforms but also enhance the experience for real users. The future of online gaming in Ghana relies on this.
The post 2025 iGaming Analysis: Fraud Increasing in Ghana's Betting Industry Amidst Africa's Advancements appeared first on The Herald ghana.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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