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 Even laws relating to physical gambling are somewhat outdated and have seen little revision in years to accommodate the ever-growing activity.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laws hold certain loopholes that users and operators may seek to exploit and circumvent and are becoming increasingly outdated.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 Bar Association (NBA) has elected Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as its next president after she polled the most votes when voting officially ended on Sunday morning.
Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, the only female among the three presidential candidates, polled 12,317 votes to emerge the winner of the election, which was held through electronic voting for 24 hours, from 7:35 am on Saturday to 7:34 am on Sunday.
She defeated her two challengers, polling 47.18 per cent of the 26,106 ballots cast in the presidential election, based on the final tally. Her closest challenger, Mr Lateef Akangbe (SAN), garnered 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 per cent of the total votes cast, while the third candidate, Mr Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 per cent, to emerge third in the contest.
The Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) Chairman disclosed that a total of 26,106 votes were recorded for the highly disputed presidential election.
With her victory, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya will become the 33rd President of the legal association, successfully re-enacting a 34-year-old history as the second female to lead the NBA since its formation in 1933.
Meanwhile, Mr Afam Okeke was elected General Secretary of the legal body, having polled a total of 8,478 votes to defeat his opponents.
All the elected officials will be in office for two years, spanning 2026 to 2028.
The NBA president-elect was absent when the results of the election were announced at the NBA headquarters in Abuja. A member of her campaign team, Mr Aminu Gadanya (SAN), revealed that she had a flight delay and declared her resolve to extend a “handshake of friendship” to all the aggrieved candidates.
In his remarks after the results were announced, the outgoing President of the NBA, Mr Afam Osigwe (SAN), noted that the election faced several challenges, including a cyberattack that almost derailed the electoral process.
“Many went to great lengths to truncate the electoral process. They maligned the process with their utterances, but we held firm. Every effort to derail the process failed,” Mr Osigwe stated.
He urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory, warning that they should celebrate moderately.
“This is a trying time for the Bar. Many people may still go to great lengths to rubbish the association. However, this is a time for healing. At the end of the day, let the Bar be the winner,” he added.
He said the ECNBA would carry out an in-depth analysis, especially of the challenges encountered, so as to come up with recommendations that will engender greater confidence in the association’s electoral process.
“The cyberattack shows that we must do more, not only for data protection, but to protect our electoral integrity. We must insulate our electoral process from such activities.
“Someday the story will be told of how the ICT system had to be rebuilt and moved to a safer server to ensure that the election was held.
“The Bar must always protect its independence and eternally determine the course of its electoral process,” the outgoing NBA President added.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over 50 skilled technicians drawn from various states across the South-West region of Nigeria converged on Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday for a comprehensive technical and sensitisation training programme for set-top box installers and associated reception equipment technicians.
This training was organised by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in partnership with the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) to guarantee a smooth, efficient, and error-free rollout of Nigeria’s digital broadcasting migration.
Nigeria’s journey toward digital terrestrial television has spanned nearly two decades. The country formally adopted the digital switchover policy in 2008 in line with the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2006 global mandate, which set a June 2015 deadline for member states.
Successive missed targets in 2017 and beyond stemmed from funding constraints, policy inconsistencies, infrastructure gaps, and logistical challenges. While pilot projects were implemented in Plateau, Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Kwara, Osun, Kaduna, and the Federal Capital Territory, nationwide coverage remained a distant goal.
After substantial public investment exceeding N60 billion with limited results, the federal government unveiled a bold, renewed strategy in 2025 titled The Big Picture on June 17, 2026, with a firm analogue switch-off date set for December 31, 2028.
The new framework introduces a hybrid broadcasting model that intelligently combines Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite delivery via NIGCOMSAT-1R, and Internet Protocol (IP)-based distribution.
By prioritising satellite technology, Nigeria leverages its sovereign satellite assets to significantly reduce dependence on expensive terrestrial transmission infrastructure. This approach is projected to accelerate digital television rollout by over 65 per cent while delivering near-instantaneous national coverage.
The Head of the Digital Switchover (DSO) unit and Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the NBC, Mrs Clementine Usman-Wamba, noted that the Ibadan session is the first of many planned across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
The Ibadan training directly addresses the technical demands of this hybrid ecosystem. Installers will be equipped with skills in satellite dish alignment for DTH, terrestrial antenna optimisation for DTT signals, and the configuration of hybrid reception devices.
Given the significant departure from analogue systems and earlier pilots, this sensitisation is essential to minimise installation errors, reduce service disruptions, and ensure that even households in rural and underserved communities can enjoy seamless access to superior digital broadcasts.
The FreeTV platform, built on open-standard DVB-S2 technology, will offer up to 100 free-to-air high-definition channels to an estimated 40 million television households across the country.
For terrestrial reception, Nigeria has adopted the advanced DVB-T2 standard with MPEG-4 AVC compression, which supports up to 20 channels per frequency—far more efficient than previous systems.
Consumers can access the service using affordable DVB-S2-compatible set-top boxes (priced between N15,000 and N25,000) or smart TVs with built-in DVB-T2 digital tuners.
Beyond technical excellence, the DSO represents a major national economic transformation project. The reallocation of broadcast spectrum (the “digital dividend”) will unlock new opportunities in telecommunications and broadband services. The advertising market is projected to expand by up to N605.2 billion, while local manufacturing and assembly of reception equipment is expected to generate over 20,000 jobs.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has introduced the Blue Economy Accelerator Programme, a strategic initiative to identify, nurture, and accelerate innovative startups that will contribute to the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
The Blue Economy Accelerator Programme is aimed at attracting young, vibrant minds with innovative ideas capable of transforming Nigeria’s maritime ecosystem.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, said that through the initiative, participants will receive structured business development support, industry mentorship, and technical guidance to convert promising concepts into viable ventures that address critical challenges and opportunities within the blue economy.
“The programme reflects NIMASA’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the vision of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in unlocking the immense potential of the blue economy by empowering young innovators, entrepreneurs, and technology-driven enterprises. We at NIMASA want to provide a platform for investors to identify young talents and invest in them,” he said.
The NIMASA DG commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, for codifying the Marine and Blue Economy Policy as a clear roadmap for the sector’s development and also urged young Nigerians to embrace the programme, which has the potential to transform raw talents into big investments in the maritime sector.
Applications are open to startups and innovators developing solutions across several strategic sectors, including marine waste management and the blue circular economy; aquaculture And sustainable fisheries; maritime technology and logistics innovation; ocean energy including wave, tidal, and offshore renewable energy; marine tourism and coastal recreation; marine biotechnology such as, ocean data and analytics; green Shipping, including vessel decarbonization; smart port solutions; autonomous marine vehicles; biofouling prevention technologies; and coastal resilience through nature-based coastal defence solutions.
The first phase of the programme is expected to attract a minimum of 150 high-quality applications from within and outside the country, provided they are Nigerian citizens.
