1xBet has been active in Africa for well over a decade and remains one of the largest international sportsbooks on the continent, built around an enormous sports list, a huge casino and 1xGames library, and a welcome bonus that regularly runs higher than most competitors on paper. The brand operates dedicated sites for six markets — Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia — with currency, payment rails and licensing status that shift noticeably from one country to the next. This review breaks down what 1xBet offers, how its bonus terms actually work, and what to check before your first deposit, wherever you’re betting from.
What Is 1xBet?
1xBet is a sports betting and casino platform founded in 2007, offering one of the largest sportsbooks in the industry alongside a full casino, live dealer tables, and 1xGames — a library of fast, instant-win titles similar to crash games. The platform is known for unusually deep pre-match markets, sometimes listing dozens of betting options on a single lower-league fixture that most bookmakers wouldn’t cover at all. The interface, currency and available bonuses shift by country, but the underlying sportsbook and casino product is consistent across all six markets.
Sports Betting Markets Available on 1xBet
Football is the anchor sport on 1xBet in every African market, with unusually broad coverage that extends well beyond the major European leagues into regional and lower-tier competitions most bookmakers skip entirely. Beyond football, punters can also bet on:
- Basketball, tennis and table tennis
- Cricket and volleyball
- Esports (CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends)
- 1xGames instant-win titles, when there’s no live fixture to bet on
Live betting and in-play markets are a core part of the product, with odds updating quickly once a match kicks off and live streaming available on a large share of fixtures. The sheer depth of pre-match markets is 1xBet’s standout feature versus most African-focused bookmakers, though the interface can feel busier and less streamlined as a result.
1xBet Welcome Bonus and Promotions
New customers get a first-deposit match bonus, split between the sportsbook and 1xGames rather than a single lump sum — a structural difference from bookmakers that offer one straightforward sports bonus. The headline match rate and cap vary sharply by country:
- Nigeria — 100% up to ₦150,000, minimum deposit ₦400
- Kenya — 200% up to KES 20,000, minimum deposit KES 112
- Ghana — up to 300% on a first deposit (typically capped in the GHS 5,000+ range), minimum deposit GHS 15
- Tanzania — 200% first-deposit match
- Uganda — 200% first-deposit match, capped in the UGX 500,000+ range
- Zambia — up to 300% first-deposit match
The wagering conditions differ between the two halves of the bonus:
- The sportsbook portion needs 5x wagering on accumulator bets at minimum odds of around 1.40 per selection
- The 1xGames portion needs a much heavier 30x wagering requirement
- Both portions typically need to be cleared within 30 days of the qualifying deposit
In practice, the sportsbook side is manageable if you already bet on accumulators, but the 30x requirement on the 1xGames half is steep enough that most sports-focused bettors will never clear it — worth knowing before you assume the full headline percentage is realistically achievable. Beyond the welcome offer, 1xBet runs a rolling promo calendar that includes an accumulator-of-the-day boost, a “Bet Insurance” refund on multi-leg accumulators, weekly cashback for VIP-tier players, and periodic free-bet promotions tied to major tournaments.
Payment Methods by Country
Payment options differ more sharply by country on 1xBet than on most competitors — Nigeria in particular stands apart from the rest of the region:
- Nigeria — currency NGN; no mobile money or paybill support — deposits go via bank cards, bank transfer and e-wallets (Skrill, Neteller), from around ₦400
- Kenya — currency KES; deposits via M-Pesa and Airtel Money, plus cards, from KES 100–112
- Ghana — currency GHS; deposits via MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash and AirtelTigo Money, from GH₵1
- Tanzania — currency TZS; mobile money and cards available, from around TZS 1,500
- Uganda — currency UGX; mobile money and cards available, from roughly $1.50 equivalent
- Zambia — currency ZMW; mobile money and cards available, from around ZMW 1
Mobile money deposits are typically instant across Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Nigeria is the clear outlier — with no mobile money or paybill option, bank transfer and card deposits are the only realistic route in, and both are slower to clear than a mobile wallet.
1xBet Mobile App
1xBet offers dedicated apps for Android and iOS across its African markets, distributed largely as a direct APK download rather than through the Play Store in most countries. The app carries the same enormous market depth as the desktop site, along with live streaming and in-play betting. A mobile-optimised site is also available for anyone who’d rather not install the app — a common route where storage space or app-store access is limited.
Is 1xBet Licensed and Safe?
Licensing status is genuinely different from one African market to the next, and it’s worth knowing where you stand before you deposit:
- Nigeria — locally licensed under the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA); disputes can be escalated to a domestic regulator
- Kenya — locally licensed under the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB)
- Ghana — locally licensed under the Gaming Commission of Ghana (GCG)
- Zambia — operates under local licensing alongside the Curaçao base licence
- Tanzania — operates under an international Curaçao licence only, with no local regulator to escalate disputes to
- Uganda — closed operations in February 2024 after a National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) notice, then relicensed for sports betting in 2025–2026 under a new General Betting Operating Licence; the online casino side is not currently covered by that relicensing
That mix matters more here than with most operators — a Nigerian, Kenyan or Ghanaian player is dealing with a locally regulated operator, while a Tanzanian player has fewer formal protections, and a Ugandan player should check current licence status given the 2024 shutdown and 2025–2026 relicensing. It’s worth confirming your own country’s status on the relevant regulator’s register before depositing rather than assuming licensing carries over from a neighbouring market.
1xBet Pros and Cons
- Very deep market coverage — extensive markets even on lower-tier and regional fixtures
- Local licensing in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia — a domestic regulator to escalate disputes to
- Broad mobile money support — M-Pesa, MTN and Airtel Money across five of six markets
- Large, well-established promo calendar — accumulator boosts, bet insurance and VIP cashback
- No mobile money in Nigeria — cards and bank transfer only, unlike its neighbours
- Heavy 1xGames wagering requirement — the 30x casino-side condition is hard for sports-only bettors to clear
- Uneven licensing picture — Curaçao-only in Tanzania, and a 2024 shutdown/2025–2026 relicensing history in Uganda worth knowing about
- Busier interface — the sheer number of markets can feel overwhelming next to simpler competitors
Our Verdict on 1xBet
1xBet’s core strength is depth: more markets on more fixtures than almost any competitor operating in Africa, backed by local licensing in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia rather than a bare offshore registration. Where it asks more of new players is the bonus structure — the 1xGames half of the welcome offer carries wagering terms that most sports-focused bettors won’t realistically clear — and the licensing picture, which genuinely varies by country rather than being uniform across the region. Check your own country’s current licence status and payment options before depositing, and treat the sportsbook portion of the bonus, not the headline percentage, as the part actually worth planning around.
How to Claim the 1xBet Welcome Bonus
Ready to register? Claim Your 1xBet Bonus — select your country on the registration page, read the local wagering terms before you deposit, and only bet what you can afford to lose.
