Whether we are talking about Africa, Europe, or other parts of the world, celebrities are often involved in the sponsorship of sports betting. Africa is a good example of this because some of the continent’s most recognizable names have appeared in marketing campaigns over the years. Their involvement in the industry is part of the innovative marketing campaigns many bookies are developing.
Speaking of bookies, many of them managed to “recruit” musicians, football legends, TV personalities and social media influencers to represent their brand. Some of these partnerships are really interesting, so we at Efirbet ZA decided to take a good look at each one and see what it offered.
Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria share a lot in common when it comes to these kinds of ads, but there are also many restrictions. Let’s see more about the situation in each one.
Kenya – From Music Stars to Restrictions on Celebrity Gambling Advertising
Kenya is one of the most interesting examples of how quickly attitudes towards gambling ads can change. The country was one of the places where you had a lot of well-known people and public figures who were involved in the advertising of different sites. These arrangements brought together two very different industries and it seems like the results were there.
People saw a lot of interesting collaborations, such as the one between 22Bet and Khaligraph Jones, a famous Kenyan rapper. The iGaming operator announced in 2023 that it would renew its brand ambassador agreement with him. 22Bet even signed Nadia Mukami as another brand ambassador.
In fact, Mukami’s appointment was very interesting because she became the first-ever female Kenyan ambassador. She had an important role in 22Bet’s strategy, despite not having professional experience in sports betting.
The Gambling Advertising Crackdown & Fake Celebrities
Kenya is actually one of the few countries in Africa where authorities have decided to restrict the gambling advertising mechanics. On 29 April 2025, the Kenya Betting Control and Licensing Board announced a 30-day suspension of gambling ads across different media platforms. The regulator also issued special advertising guidelines that prohibited sites from using celebrities, content creators, and influencers to promote their platforms.
Outside of that, the new measures did not allow advertising to present betting as a source of income. The restrictions continued in the summer of 2026 as Kenya required regulators to approve the different gambling ads before they went live. There were also further restrictions on celebrities and influencers in gambling promotions.
Another interesting case about Kenya is how some gambling operators actually used deepfake videos to advertise their services. The case from May 2024 involving Jeff Koinange is probably the next example. There was a video of him promoting a gambling app, but after an investigation by an organization called Africa Check, it became clear the video was fake.
Nigeria – Music, Football and Betting Advertising Meet
Moving on to Nigeria, the country has produced some of the world’s most popular musicians and footballers. That’s why it’s not surprising that many of them have sought partnerships with figures in these industries.
One of the first big sponsorship deals is from 5 years ago and involves David Adeleke. Also known as Davido, Nigeria’s music superstar became the brand ambassador of 1xBet in 2021. The deal was huge for its time because Davido’s reputation extended far beyond sport. He had built a successful international music career and was among the most famous people in Nigeria.
Another interesting partnership deal is from June 2026 and it includes Betway and Don Jazzy. The latter is a renowned record producer and music executive behind Mavin Records. He had to represent Betway across its marketing and consumer communications in the country.
The next interesting partnership between a betting company and a Nigerian celebrity involves Jay-Jay Okocha. One of Nigeria’s most popular footballers became the brand ambassador of BetKing in 2023. This was also when the company began working with Tobi Bakre and Broda Shaggi.
Some Nigerian Celebrities Do Not Support Gambling Endorsements
Let’s face it, gambling endorsements are controversial and not everyone is keen on supporting them. This is also true in Nigeria, where some people raised their voices against that. Jesse Jagz is one of them, and he publicly criticized those who promote gambling and betting companies.
Although the regulated industry brings in substantial revenue for the country, the growing popularity of sports betting also has many negative effects. There are loads of people who develop different kinds of betting/gambling-related issues. This is the main reason celebrities are hesitant to promote any kind of betting activity.
South Africa – Rugby & Football Legends and Betting Brands
South Africa has the largest sports betting market out of the countries mentioned so far. It’s very competitive because local bettors have access to many international and local sites. This means companies have to build relationships with prominent athletes and entertainers to stand out.
South Africa has several interesting partnerships, one of which is between Eben Etzebeth and his wife, Anila. The professional rugby player is married to an actress and singer, and both became brand ambassadors for Hollywoodbets. The latter is one of the largest local sports betting companies in the country.
The announcement of the sponsorship deal came in April 2024, and it was not something people expected. Eben Etzebeth has already established himself as one of the best SA rugby players in the world. In fact, he has two Rugby World Cup victories, an achievement that only a few other players have under their names.
Another interesting sponsorship deal in South Africa was between Dricus du Plessis and Betway. The MMA superstar has been one of the most popular fighters in the UFC for a while now and Betway decided to sign him as a global brand ambassador.
Cricket Stars & TV Personalities
South Africa’s celebrity gambling partnerships are not limited to just MMA and rugby. 10bet, one of South Africa’s prominent iGaming sites, announced a partnership with Herschelle Gibbs, a former international cricket star. The site announced that Gibbs would take part in different digital campaigns and produce special cricket-related promo content.
10bet continued its sponsorship deals with another big name – Minnie Dlamini. The TV personality’s role was to connect the brand to a broader entertainment audience.
Hollywoodbets also added Michael Owen, one of the most popular football players, to its ambassador program. Even though Owen is not from SA, he is popular worldwide, so the site decided he would be a good fit for the local market.
Why do so Many Betting Operators Work with Celebrities?
The commercial appeal of celebrity endorsements is not unique to the gambling industry. You can find similar deals in many other industries, such as clothing, tech and even financial services. There are many popular investment brokers that also work with big Hollywood stars and other prominent figures.
The big reason behind all of these deals is simple – audiences already recognize these names and admire the person who appears in the ads. This recognition provides many marketing advantages, especially for betting companies. A musician, for example, can introduce the betting company to a new audience, whereas a former professional athlete will appeal to dedicated sports followers.
All of these sponsorships also help companies communicate through social media. With that said, having a high-profile partnership does not automatically guarantee new customers or increased betting activity. The outcomes depend on many factors and sports betting companies are fully aware of that.
Do Celebrity Endorsements Actually Encourage People to Place More Bets?
Considering the number of sponsorship deals and the money that operators pay for them, people would assume that these endorsements actually encourage more people to place bets. However, it seems like this is not always the case.
According to a study in the Journal of Interactive Advertising, celebrity endorsements led to more favorable brand attitudes. While this is positive, the study itself did not find any increase in the number of bets that people place. It seems the financial inducements are what cause more people to place bets.
In other words, companies actually get more people to place bets when they offer different bonuses and other financial advantages. This is probably the big reason why there are loads of free spins and free bets.
The Future of Celebrity Gambling Advertising in Africa
If we look at what’s happening in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, we can see that celebrity advertising differs in each country.
Kenya has actually imposed stricter restrictions, whereas Nigeria continues to serve as a prominent example of entertainment-led campaigns.
South Africa, on the other hand, has developed new ambassador networks. They connect betting operators with athletes, entertainers, and popular sporting figures.
We believe that the future of celebrity gambling advertisements will depend largely on the regulations in each country. We can see that many governments around the world are taking a firm stance against gambling ads and the countries in question here may do the same soon.
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