Wave

Wave is an app-based mobile money service founded in Dakar in 2018. It launched in Senegal, expanded to Côte d'Ivoire in 2019 and now operates in around 11 African countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Uganda and the DRC. It has more than 23 million monthly active users and over 50,000 agents.

How Do Wave Deposits Work at Betting Sites?

1. Choose Wave in your bookmaker's deposit menu and enter the amount.
2. Confirm the payment in your Wave app when prompted.
3. The money reaches your betting balance once Wave confirms the transfer.

LONASE.BET, the online arm of Senegal's national lottery, lists Wave among its payment options alongside Orange Money, Wizall and the mobile money service of the operator Free.

What Does Wave Cost?

Wave built its business on free deposits and withdrawals at its agents and a flat 1% fee on transfers, at a time when telecom-run services were charging much more. Bookmakers set their own minimum deposits and may charge their own fees, so check the cashier before you pay.

Who Can Use Wave?

Anyone with a Wave account in a country where it operates. You can use the smartphone app, and Wave issues QR-code cards to people without a smartphone. Agents let you put cash into your account or take it out.

What Should You Know Before Using Wave for Betting?

• Bet with licensed operators: in Senegal, LONASE runs legal betting, and other West African markets have their own licensing rules.
• Use your own account: bookmakers normally pay winnings only to an account in your name.
• Keep your PIN private: never share your Wave code with anyone who contacts you about a bet or a bonus.

Sources

• Rest of World: how Wave is disrupting Francophone Africa's mobile money market (2022)
• Pan African Visions: how Wave built a 23 million user fintech in Africa (May 2026)
• LONASE.BET: payment options on the official site