Norway, South Africa, and New Zealand Lead the World in Online Gambling Traffic

A new study by StatiSense has ranked the countries with the highest percentage of internet users visiting gambling websites, according to Business Insider Africa.

The data, collected in February 2025, highlights global trends in online betting. The top 10 countries where internet users over 16 are most active on gambling sites include:

• Norway — 30.2%
• South Africa — 30.0%
• New Zealand — 26.2%
• Greece — 22.5%
• Hungary — 20.4%
• Brazil — 19.5%
• Nigeria — 19.0%
• United Kingdom — 17.9%
• Austria — 17.6%
• Australia — 17.2%

The study notes that online gambling’s popularity is influenced by factors such as local regulations, strong betting traditions, and easy access to digital gaming platforms.

In some cases, the rise of online gambling is linked to economic struggles. South Africa, for instance, sees high gambling engagement partly due to soaring unemployment — over 45% of people aged 15 to 34 are out of work.