General
Eight Things You Should Know About Nigeria’s Gambling Laws
Gambling is a popular activity among millions of Nigerians. Despite this, the country’s laws seem far outpaced by the industry’s growth, particularly since the dawn of online gambling hit its shores.
While online gambling is available, there are no official laws that regulate it. Even laws relating to physical gambling are somewhat outdated and have seen little revision in years to accommodate the ever-growing activity.
The laws have a clear direction regarding what is and isn’t legal. However, these laws hold certain loopholes that users and operators may seek to exploit and circumvent and are becoming increasingly outdated. Below, we’ve listed eight things you should know about gambling laws in the country.
1. Gambling Has Not Always Been Legal
Like many countries, Nigeria used to prohibit gambling. In fact, the first law relating to gambling passed in the country, the Unlawful Games Act of 1541, outlawed it in its entirety.
It remained so until 1845, when the country adopted England’s Gaming Act, which allowed for specific types of gambling. However, because Nigeria had a strong Catholic influence, gambling was still spoken harshly of, and many in the region didn’t wish to partake in its activities.
2. One Law Oversees All Forms of Gambling
In 2005, the Nigerian government approved the National Lottery Act. Extending beyond just lotteries, this act is the regulatory tool covering all forms of gambling in the region (except for online gambling, which was not as popular then).
The law provides for in-person casino games and betting on events such as horse racing. It also established a state lottery, the National Lottery Nigeria, which remains one of the most popular ways to gamble and has grown into one of the largest in Africa.
3. No Law Mentions Online Forms of Gambling
As mentioned, no provision is made for online gambling in the country in the National Lottery Act or any subsequent law. This means that many operators outside the country’s borders are happy to provide their services to residents as it is not expressly condemned.
External and internal operators are also allowed to accept gamblers due to the lack of legislation barring them from doing so. As such, gamblers are free to play all Nolimit City games on casinos.com and various other sites without legal repercussions.
4. Internal Operators Must Be Licensed
The Nigerian government has stated that all operators providing services from within the country must acquire a gambling license to offer their services to players. Many see this as strange, considering there is yet to be a law ratified to enforce this, and it relies on operators’ goodwill.
All companies that wish to offer online gambling services must register for a license with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC). This governing body oversees the country’s lotto and all other gambling aspects, including the largest physical casinos.
5. Some States Draft Their Own Laws
Although the NLRC regulates gambling on a federal level, some states have taken it upon themselves to pass legislation relating to gambling within their borders. Lagos, for instance, passed the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law in 2021, which made provision for how online casinos and bookmakers can be licensed to operate in the region.
These laws help regulate things at the state level and even make provisions for forming state governing bodies, such as the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), responsible for issuing licenses to online operators.
6. Outdated Laws Have Created a Gambling Black Market
Despite casinos being legal and a law being in place to make provisions for them, the outdated rules and processes that require a license to operate have spawned a burgeoning black market in the country. As such, many illegal casinos or gambling houses exist throughout the country.
Aside from physical casinos operating without a license, online operators are as guilty. As recently as 2024, more than 26 illegal operators were identified in Lagos state alone. These are operating and welcoming customers without going through the necessary channels to be able to do so legally.
7. Gambling Tax Laws Do Exist
Although the gambling laws are outdated and not fit for the current gambling climate found worldwide, lawmakers did find it necessary to ensure the government benefits from gambling through the Casino Taxation Act.
While the act is also old and outdated, passed in 1965, it provides that all operators must pay the Federal Board of Inland Revenue (FBIR) a tax on net gaming revenue. In addition, the act allows the FBIR to review a gambling operator’s financial statements at any time. The only condition is that a warrant is required.
8. Outdated Gambling Laws Are Resulting in Massive Losses for the Government
Estimates show that almost 36% of Nigerian adults have gambled. Of these, 53% gamble daily using online operators or physical amenities. These gamblers contribute to the country’s extensive GGR (gross gaming revenue), which is predicted to hit £576.8m by 2025.
However, due to the lack of formal regulation and infighting between federal control and state legislation surrounding gambling, much of this revenue fails to generate income for local government. Consequently, much of this revenue goes to external operators who aren’t licensed and can avoid paying the government.
Conclusion
Navigating Nigeria’s old and sometimes conflicting gambling laws is not simple. As states begin passing their own legislation due to the federal government’s failure to do so, things are likely to get even more confusing.
For players, this means more uncertainty and a lack of understanding about where they can gamble legally. However, with external operators still welcoming players, the real loser here is the government, which is missing out on huge sums of revenue. Hopefully, this will spur it to take action and draft comprehensive legal frameworks that will help the industry grow.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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