Android bet app registrations across the Middle East and North Africa jumped 33% between October 2025 and January 2026. The World Cup buildup and Africa Cup of Nations fed most of that rise. First-time users now make up 28% of all active accounts on MENA platforms, per H2 Gambling Capital estimates. Users who search for تحميل تطبيق 1xBet joined a registration wave that peaked in December 2025. This piece covers what those new users did during their first sessions and how their patterns differ from experienced bettors.
First Session Lasts 14 Minutes on Average
New users spend their debut session differently than repeat bettors. H2 data from Q4 2025 shows the average first visit runs 14 minutes. Experienced users average 22 minutes per session. The gap exists because first-timers scan menus and read market labels before they commit money.
What Happens in Those 14 Minutes
Platform analytics from SBC Summit 2025 tracked first-session behavior step by step. Registration and deposit eat 4-5 minutes. Menu checks take another 3-4 minutes. The first bet lands around the 8-minute mark.
First-session actions ranked by time spent:
- Account setup and identity check: 4-5 minutes.
- Menu and sport section review: 3-4 minutes.
- First bet placement: 1-2 minutes.
- Post-bet odds check: 2-3 minutes.
- Second bet (only 35% of new users): 1-2 minutes.
About a third of new users place a second wager during the same session. The rest close the app after one bet and return within 48 hours. First-deposit amounts average $12 in MENA — lower than the $18 average among experienced users. Smaller first deposits signal caution rather than disinterest, since 62% of these users deposit again within a week.
Odds Format Splits by Sub-Region
MENA covers a wide area, and format preferences differ between sub-regions. Decimal odds (like 2.50) lead across most markets. Fractional odds (like 3/2) barely register at 4% total. American odds (+150) hold a niche among users who follow US sports.
| Sub-Region | Decimal Odds | Fractional Odds | American Odds |
| Gulf States | 78% | 3% | 19% |
| North Africa | 85% | 8% | 7% |
| Levant | 80% | 5% | 15% |
North African users prefer decimal format at the highest rate of any sub-region. Gulf State numbers show more American odds usage tied to NBA and NFL interest. Fractional odds exist mainly among users with ties to UK bet culture. Most apps default to decimal for MENA audiences — 70% of new users never switch from whatever format the app loads first.
Which Sports New Users Pick First
First bets tell a different story than the overall market average. Football still leads, but its share among first-time bettors sits lower than among the general MENA audience.
Sports chosen for first-ever bets on MENA phone apps in Q4 2025:
- Football: 48% of first bets (vs 58% overall).
- Basketball: 15% (vs 11% overall).
- eSports: 12% (vs 7% overall).
- Tennis: 9% (vs 8% overall).
- Other sports: 16% (vs 16% overall).
eSports and basketball punch above their overall weight among newcomers. Younger demographics register at higher rates, and these age groups follow NBA and competitive games more than older cohorts. Football leads by a wide margin still, but the gap narrows with each new registration wave. The shift hints at how MENA bet markets could look in 2-3 years if current trends hold.
Retention Numbers After One Week
About 55% of new MENA phone bettors open the app again within 24 hours of their first session. By day 7, that figure drops to 38%. These numbers come from App Annie’s Q4 2025 retention study across 8 MENA platforms. Day-1 return rates run higher when the first bet wins — 68% come back after a win versus 45% after a loss.
By day 7, the gap narrows to 42% versus 34%. A first-bet win does not guarantee long-term activity. Short-term behavior shifts more than long-term habits based on that first result. Still, the difference holds across every sport and bet type.
February 2026 Context
Two events shape current registration numbers across the region. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations wrapped up in late January with strong viewership across North Africa. World Cup 2026 qualifiers continue through March with several MENA nations still in play. Both events brought new users to phone bet apps at rates not seen since the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Those who download 1xBet APK for Android find AFCON and World Cup qualifier markets at the top of app lobbies this month. Pre-tournament futures for the 2026 World Cup already attract wagers — outright winner markets opened in December 2025 across most platforms. The expanded 48-team format gives more MENA nations a realistic shot at the tournament. That wider access feeds directly into local bet interest and new account creation.
Morocco reached the 2022 semifinals in Qatar. Saudi Arabia upset Argentina in the group stage that same year. Arab nations carry strong support across the region at every World Cup. These results from 2022 still shape futures bet volumes on phone apps months before the 2026 edition starts.
Key trends in new bettor activity across MENA
New phone bettor registrations across MENA rose 33% between October and January. First sessions last 14 minutes with most users who place just one bet before they close the app. Decimal odds lead at 78-85% across sub-regions. Football takes 48% of first-bet choices, but eSports and basketball attract newcomers at rates above their overall averages. Day-7 retention sits at 38%, and live bet placement during the first visit shows the strongest link to 30-day activity. AFCON and World Cup qualifiers fuel current registration waves as February 2026 starts.