Sports
Is Sports Betting Legal in Nigeria?
Sports betting, just like all gambling activities, can be quite sensitive to regulation. If left uncontrolled, the losses could be massive- from bookies losing their stakes and winnings to serious gambling addiction. We take a look at the legality of sports betting in Nigeria, the law regarding the same, and the gaps that need to be filled.
Legislations on sports betting in Nigeria
Nigeria, one of the biggest economies in Africa and with the highest population boasts of a robust betting following. There are major legislations that have made sports betting legal in Nigeria. The National Lottery Act of 2005 is the most recent legislation that was specifically passed to control and regulate the betting affairs in Nigeria.
The National Lottery Act of 2005 provides for The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) which is the body mandated to regulate all the gaming activities in the country. The commission is further mandated to protect the interest of all the players in the gambling industry, in addition to ensuring transparency within the sector.
It is important to note that the commission issues three types of licenses- Promotional Permit, Lottery licenses, and Sports Betting License (Online and Offline). The licenses cover betting, bingo, online casino, lotteries, fantasy sports, and online poker.
The Act prohibits gambling to persons below the age of 18, provides for the requirements that a company needs to have to be legally allowed to operate in Nigeria, and also the mandate of the Commission.
Other State Licenses legalizing Betting
Federal states like Lagos and Oyo are some of the States that have enacted specific pieces of legislation that cater to the specific needs of their particular population. Lagos has the Lagos State Lottery Law of 2004, which specifically regulates betting in Lagos.
There have been tremendous calls to regulate the industry even more. For instance, the Gaming Machines Act of 1977 barred the ownership, importation, and operation of gaming machines within Nigeria by the government. Later, the Criminal Code of 1990 went ahead to classify the legal and illegal gaming activities that would be allowed in the country.
Overview of current requirements for sports betting in Nigeria
We now look at a general overview of the gaming laws in Nigeria that make it a legal and safe activity.
To begin with, all companies or entities that wish to conduct betting business in Nigeria must be incorporated under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This leaves very little room for the dubious foreign companies that tend to set shop and disappear with the wagers of bookies.
Further, and even after acquiring a license, the individual states have a Lottery Board that tends to monitor and follow up on the licensed companies’ activities, which further makes gambling secure.
Betting companies have also been put on high alert, before being awarded the licenses. For instance, the application and processing fee to be considered for a license is a whooping N2 million which is non-refundable. The names and profiles of the directors and other key staff of the company are scrutinized deeply to establish the authenticity of the information provided.
The proposed activities of the bookmaker must also be pretty straight and acceptable to the regulator. The mode of distribution and the areas of interest must be precisely within the precincts and conventional channels. To cap it all, a detailed financial framework must be presented, with evidence of a 5-year projection as a going concern.
From the foregoing, it is clear that the bar for obtaining the operating license is a long and very thorough one- but in essence, it is meant to protect the bookies who wish to stake their money. Additionally, responsible betting is encouraged by the regulator who defines the legal age for gambling and closely monitors the content that is used to entice gamblers.
To conclude, sports betting is legal, and it has evolved, although there are loopholes that have been occasioned by the evolution of technology in recent days. It would be interesting to see how fast the regulator would continue to update the legal framework to match and catch up with the technological advances!
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
At least for the next four seasons, DStv and GOtv subscribers are guaranteed access to all UEFA men’s club matches on SuperSport.
This is because CANAL+, the parent company of MultiChoice, which owns DStv and GOtv, has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to all UEFA men’s club competitions across Sub-Saharan Africa through 2031, ensuring SuperSport will continue to broadcast the UEFA Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues live to DStv and GOtv subscribers.
The four-season agreement, which begins with the 2027/28 campaign, covers more than 40 countries across the region and includes exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
In English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa, SuperSport will continue as the exclusive broadcaster of UEFA club competitions, bringing the continent’s biggest European club matches to DStv and GOtv subscribers. The agreement also restores full UEFA Champions League coverage on CANAL+ Sport channels in French-speaking Africa, alongside the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
The rights deal further strengthens CANAL+’s sports portfolio, which already includes major football competitions such as the Premier League, LALIGA EA SPORTS, Ligue 1, the Betway Premiership and the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
The agreement ensures football fans across Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to enjoy live coverage of Europe’s premier club competitions on SuperSport when the new rights cycle begins in 2027.
“We are very proud of this new partnership, which gives us exclusive rights to all UEFA Men’s Club competitions across more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For four seasons, until 2031, our subscribers will enjoy the thrill of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League’s biggest matches. Today, CANAL+ offers the most attractive sports line-up across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the acquisition of these rights is a perfect illustration of that.
“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to UC3 and to the teams at Relevent for once again placing their trust in CANAL+, following our recent agreements in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Austria,” the chief executive of CANAL+, Mr Maxime Saada, stated.
The start of a football season always tricks people a little. Everything looks fresh. New shirts, new signings, clean tables, confident managers, fans talking themselves into hope again. Then the first few matches arrive, and half the predictions start wobbling. That is what makes early-season betting interesting. It is not tidy yet. Manchester City may still be Manchester City, but that does not mean they are sharp from the first whistle. Arsenal might look strong on paper and still need time to settle. Chelsea can have another summer full of noise and still leave bettors guessing. Real Madrid might have the stars, but even stars need minutes together. The first weeks are not about certainty. They are about spotting who is ready before the market fully catches up.
New Signings Need Time
Transfer excitement can make people rush. A new striker arrives at Arsenal and suddenly every goals market feels tempting. Manchester United sign a defender and people start talking about clean sheets. Chelsea add another expensive player and the same old question comes back: does this actually fix the team, or just add another name? Sometimes a signing changes everything quickly. More often, there is an awkward stage first. A forward needs to learn where the passes come from. A midfielder needs to understand the press. A centre-back needs to build trust with the goalkeeper and full-backs. That is why early-season betting after the Betway app download should not treat a new signing like a finished answer. The name matters, but the fit matters more.
World Cup Legs Will Matter
This season also carries the weight of the World Cup. Some players will come back flying. Some will come back flat. Some may start the season with managed minutes because their clubs cannot afford to burn them out early. That can change player markets fast. A bettor looking through the betway app before a weekend card should not only check the famous names in the lineup. Look at who played deep into the World Cup, who missed pre-season, who came back late, and who is being protected by the manager. A star on the pitch is not always a star at full speed.
Early Tables Can Lie
The first league table always looks more dramatic than it is. One big club drops points, and everyone starts asking if there is a crisis. One promoted side wins at home, and suddenly people talk about momentum. A striker scores twice, and the golden boot conversations begin before anyone has really learned anything. That noise can be useful, but only if bettors do not get swallowed by it. Early results need context. Did the team actually play well, or just finish two chances? Did they control the game, or survive pressure? Was the opponent missing key players? Did the manager rotate because of fitness?
Patience Beats The Big Prediction
The new season will settle. The strong teams will usually rise, the weaker squads will get exposed, and the table will start to make more sense. But the opening weeks are different. They are full of strange fitness levels, overhyped signings, tired stars and teams that are still trying to remember what they are meant to be. That is why betting on the upcoming season should start slowly. Do not fall in love with last season’s form. Do not trust every transfer story. Do not assume every World Cup star is ready to carry club football straight away. The value is often hiding in the messy part, before everyone else agrees what the season really looks like.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federation of the International Football Association (FIFA) will not proceed with its proposal to sell a piece of its business operations to outside investors after the project was met with fierce resistance from some of its member associations.
FIFA’s plan was to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20 per cent stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup, valuing it at $20 billion.
The proposal was strongly opposed by the Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA), European football’s governing body, which voted on Thursday to boycott FIFA competitions. There was also opposition from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the English FA.
In a statement, UEFA said that it was “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret”.
The Switzerland-based organisation’s statement also accused FIFA of putting the sport’s “soul” up for sale.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement announcing the cancellation.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
UEFA welcomed the decision to scrap it but said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership, while AFC, while welcoming the decision, said that it expected any initiative of such magnitude to be discussed with its members in a “timely, transparent and meaningful manner”.
Mr Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned with immediate effect, calling the plan “a bad deal for football”.
FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by Mr Infantino, describing the proposal as a “project of one person”.
The development has now raised eyebrows against the FIFA President, especially his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
The planned FIFA private investment scheme involved Mr Joshua Kushner, the founder of Thrive Capital, who would lead the proposed venture capital group via a fund called Thrive Eternal. He is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump.
Mr Infantino said in April he would seek a fourth term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled to take place in Morocco on March 18 next year.
The deadline for potential candidates to declare in a presidential vote of the 211 members is November 18.
Observers now wonder if there will be fresh competition to the Swiss’ ambition to lead the world’s football authority for another
