2025 iGaming Report: Fraud on the Rise in Ghana’s Betting Sector Despite Africa’s Progress

Ghana’s iGaming industry is confronting mounting challenges in fraud prevention, even as Africa overall makes progress in reducing fraud across the sector. Recent findings by Sumsub, a full-cycle verification platform, show that Ghana recorded one of the sharpest increases in fraud activity since last year, underscoring the urgent need for more advanced verification and compliance measures.

The data paints a sobering picture: the identity fraud rate (the proportion of fraudulent verification attempts), across all industries in Ghana climbed to 3.94% in Q2 2025, almost double the continental average of 2.27%. The problem is particularly acute in iGaming. Fraud in the sector more than doubled in just twelve months, surging from 2.33% in Q2 2024 to 5.76% in Q2 2025. This alarming spike contrasts with continental trends, where Africa’s iGaming sector achieved a 14.7% reduction in fraud over the past two years.

“Ghana’s numbers show a different trajectory from the continent,” says Hannes Bezuidenhout, VP of Sales for Africa at Sumsub. “While Africa has demonstrated that investment in robust verification reduces fraud without slowing down growth, Ghana’s experience highlights what happens when fraudsters move faster than compliance systems. This is a wake-up call for operators to close the gap with AI-driven solutions and continuous monitoring.”

Globally, fraud is accelerating. According to The State of Identity Verification in the iGaming Industry 2025 report issued earlier this year by Sumsub, identity fraud in the sector nearly doubled worldwide, rising from 0.70% in 2023 to 1.39% in early 2025. More than 82% of surveyed iGaming operators reported an increase in fraud attempts. Latin America recorded the steepest jump, with fraud rising by almost 32%, while mature markets in Europe and North America also saw steady increases.

By contrast, Africa bucked the trend. Fraud across the continent declined as operators adopted stronger verification processes and invested in compliance technology. Still, fraud rates in Africa remain relatively high at 2.55% in 2025 (with only Asia-Pacific region fraud rate higher, exceeding 3% of all verification attempts), and the continent’s verification pass rate—now at 68.98%—lags behind global averages of 80–90%.

“Verification remains both Africa’s strength and its challenge,” says Richy Emah, Regional Business Development Director, North and West Africa, Sumsub. “While progress is clear, the gap in pass rates compared to mature markets shows that players still face friction, and operators risk losing revenue. Ghana’s fraud dynamics demonstrate how urgent it is to build seamless, secure, and locally adapted verification processes.”

New Fraud Tactics, New Solutions

The iGaming 2025 Report also highlights an evolution in fraud patterns:

• Fraud attempts spike during off-hours, particularly between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., when compliance coverage is thin.
• More fraud now occurs beyond registration, with 41.9% of operators reporting that deposit stages see the highest attack levels.
• AI-powered fraud, including deepfakes, rose by 700% globally between 2024 and 2025, raising the stakes for operators.

To counter these threats, the report calls for continuous verification across the player journey, including deposits and withdrawals, not just sign-up. Innovations such as non-document verification and reusable KYC are also reducing onboarding times—now averaging just 25 seconds globally—while strengthening fraud resistance.

Regulatory Pressure Building Up

Across Africa, governments are tightening rules to combat fraud in iGaming. South Africa’s Travel Rule requires stricter data collection for crypto transactions, while Nigeria’s NLRC has stepped up oversight of unlicensed platforms. Kenya has also moved to integrate betting operators with national ID databases.

For Ghana, the sharp rise in fraud places the spotlight on regulators and operators alike. As the market grows, stronger frameworks will be essential to protect players, revenues, and the industry’s long-term reputation.

Looking Ahead

The State of Identity Verification in the iGaming Industry 2025 Report and exclusive findings by Sumsub suggest that Ghana, like the rest of Africa, must build on technology-driven compliance to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud.

“Operators in Ghana have a choice,” cautions Richy Emah. “They can continue to absorb rising fraud losses, or they can invest now in the kind of AI-powered fraud prevention systems that will not only protect their platforms but also unlock smoother experiences for genuine players. The future of iGaming in Ghana depends on it.”

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Notes to editors:
Methodology: The State of Identity Verification in the iGaming Industry 2025 Report draws on a three-year dataset (2023–2025), covering more than 3 million fraud attempts, direct survey feedback from 100+ iGaming operators worldwide, and expert consultations.

Download the full report here: Sumsub iGaming Report 2025

About Sumsub
Sumsub is a global verification platform enabling iGaming operators to stay compliant, prevent fraud, and deliver seamless onboarding experiences. Trusted by over 4,000 clients worldwide, Sumsub combines AI-powered KYC/AML checks, biometric verification, and fraud detection to safeguard the entire player journey.

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