Online gambling in Nigeria benefits from the fact that Nigeria has a long and storied cultural familiarity with betting and gambling. Betting on sports at the kiosks, playing casino games at the local brick-and-mortar shops and many other forms of betting in Nigeria aren’t looked upon with the same level of suspicion that you will find in, say, the USA.
If you were to dream up a “paradise” for gamblers in Africa, Nigeria would come very close to it. All sorts of betting are both legal and readily available in all the states in Nigeria. Furthermore, the government of Nigeria has declared any gambling, including online gambling, a hobby rather than a job. This means Nigerians don’t have to pay taxes on their winnings.
In addition to these fun facts, what else should you know about online gambling in Nigeria? Which are some of the best online gambling sites to visit? Here is your full list and an overview of what online gambling looks like in Nigeria.
List of Online Gambling Sites
- Large number of games developed by leading software providers
- Easy to use website
- Great Sports betting and Live Casino
- Over 80 payment methods
- Nice bonuses for new and existing customers
- Option to bet live on a sporting event
- Lots of promotions for new and loyal users
- Plenty of available betting markets
- Nigerian Based Casino (Allows Naira)
- Combines Casino with Sportsbet offer
- Unique live casino games
- In-play betting is available
- Betting on virtual sports is offered as well
- The minimum deposit is only 100 NGN
- In-play betting on sporting events
- Lots of bonuses and VIP program
- Android and iOS applications
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Multi-live betting
- Several bonuses and promotions
- Good choice of Nigerian-friendly payment options
- Great customer service
Gambling In Nigeria
Before 1990, any form of gambling was popularly frowned upon by society. Anyone participating in gambling was considered immoral. Despite existing in the country at large, gambling was widely perceived as an antisocial activity, especially by religious groups, which discouraged its members from seeing quick wealth.
But everything changed with the approval of the Criminal Act Code, which saw the government officially recognizing and legalizing a few forms of gambling. This was aimed at enabling the government to generate more revenue through gambling.
Thanks to this move, gambling has gradually been accepted in society, especially among the younger generation. Many view gambling as a harmless form of entertainment, just like any other form of gambling.
Any form of Gambling in Nigeria listed/defined in the Criminal Act Code is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. As per the gambling laws, games are either categorized as games of skill or chance. The latter category constitutes games such as roulette, dice and many more. They are deemed illegal by the Nigerian government as per the Criminal Act Code.
The Nigerian gambling industry is one of the highest revenue generators for the government. Annually, it generates about $400-500 billion, with these figures being approximated to reach $1 trillion by the year 2030.
Despite the huge contributor to the GDP of Nigeria, it is very difficult to analyze the online gambling Nigerian scene. This is because the only form of gambling that has officially been recognized by the government is sports betting and it’s documented that Nigerian bettors spend more than $5 billion annually on it.
When it comes to online casinos and other forms of gambling online, there’s a huge grey area in Nigerian laws.
Is Online Gambling In Nigeria Legal?
As already stated, laws in Nigeria don’t legalize any form of online gambling in Nigeria besides sports betting. But it also hasn’t exclusively said that online casino gaming is illegal. Because of the lack of this reference, it is safe to assume that online gambling is “legal and safe”.
This allows for international betting sites from the UK, Malta, Sweden, Canada and other territories to offer their services to Nigerians. Players can visit poker rooms, bingo portals, and online and live dealer casinos without any worries about being prosecuted.
Many Nigerians see this way of gambling online as a good way of doing things, but there is a downside to it. Without any laws clearly defining the online casino industry, it means that many Nigerians are exposed to scams, frauds and other negatives associated with online casino gaming. This is why you must be careful when picking an online gambling site operating in Nigeria.
Official Regulatory Bodies
Nigeria has one primary gambling regulator; the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. This body was commissioned after the establishment of the National Lottery Act of 2005. Its initial intended purpose was to regulate the Nigerian National Lottery. However, over time, its role has grown to regulate the national gaming industry. This includes but is not limited to:
- Licensing and regulating both the online and land-based operators
- Enforcing all forms of gaming laws
- Creating safer environments for their citizens
Since the National Lottery Regulatory Commission focuses mostly on the online gambling niche in Nigeria, smaller state lottery boards have been founded to regulate activities in their respective jurisdictions. For instance, the Lagos State Lotteries Board is responsible for regulating everything in the state, including casinos, slot machines and sports betting online.
| The National Lottery Regulatory Commission Overview | |
|---|---|
| Official Website | nlrc-gov.ng |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Address | Plot 640 Cadastral Zone B4, Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Way, Jabi District, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria |
| [email protected] | |
| Key Person(s) | (Mrs.) Yemisi Oni-Hassan (Chairman) |
| The Lagos State Lotteries Board | |
| Official Website | https://lslb.lg.gov.ng/ |
| Year Founded | 2004 |
| Address | 65 Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun 100212, Ikeja, Nigeria |
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | +234 814 990 6555 |
| Key Person(s) | Are Bashir (Chief Executive Officer) |
Is Online Gambling Taxed in Nigeria?
The good news to Nigerians who play their games or bet online is that they don’t have to pay any taxes on their winnings. Since online gambling is considered an entertainment/pastime activity, the government exempts participants from paying taxes. However, this is not the case for operators in the Nigerian online gambling industry.
All operators with a Nigerian gambling license are required by law to pay taxes, both at the national and state level. At the national level, all licensed operators must pay 20% of gross gambling revenues. If these operators have their businesses in certain states, they are required to pay extra levies as per the state laws. For instance, those operating within Nigeria are required to pay an extra 2.5% tax on gross gaming revenues.
Popular Forms of Legal Gambling In Nigeria
Legal gambling in Nigeria is extremely open and there’s not much that patrons can’t gamble on. Even though most of the land-based casinos and bookmakers operate legally in the country, most prefer doing their business online. And it’s not difficult to see why. It is convenient, it is easy to participate in, safe and secure plus there are thousands of options to pick from.
Focusing on the variety and availability of options, Nigerians can participate in sports betting, lottery, online casino and live dealer gaming, poker, daily fantasy sports, bingo and much more. Let’s have a closer look at the popular forms of legal gambling in Nigeria and what each comes bearing.
Online Casino Gaming
By definition, an online casino is a digital version of a land-based establishment. These platforms offer all that you can find at the physical brick-and-mortar casino including slot machines, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker tables, sic bo, craps and many other games. Because they – online casinos – bring the physical games at the brick-and-mortar casinos closer to the players, they tend to be very popular with Nigerians.
Locally, no online casino platforms are operating within the Nigerian gambling laws. Those that you can visit are international sites, licensed and operated by foreign bodies such as the Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission and many more. At these sites, you can play different games that include but are not limited to:
- Slots – classic slot machines, video slots, 3D slots, Bitcoin slots, VR slots and many more. There are more than 10,000 slots you can play online
- Roulette games – European, American, French, and hundreds of variations from these three main categories
- Blackjack – Spanish 21, Free Bet Blackjack, Blackjack Switch, and Super Fun 21 are some of the blackjack games you can play online
- Baccarat – Baccarat Chemin De Fer, Punto Banco and Baccarat Banque
Live Dealer Casino Gaming
Live dealer casino gaming is the new and popular way of playing games online. It has injected more life into the already exciting online casino industry, offering Nigerians and players from all over the world more choice, variety and features.
Playing live dealer casino games offers several advantages over the traditional way of playing games online. For instance, there are HD cameras that are positioned at all angles around the betting table. This way, you get to see all the action in real-time as it unfolds, just as you would at the brick-and-mortar casino.
With live dealer casino games, you will not be playing against software. Instead, you will be playing with players from other parts of the world, including Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and African countries. You can even talk to them through the live chat feature incorporated in the software.
Talking of software, you won’t have to download or install any special software. You simply use your device’s browser and camera to access the games. However, you need a stable internet connection to have a seamless gaming experience.
What live dealer casino games can you play? All the classic table games are readily available at the land-based casino and can be played in the live dealer format. Recently, Evolution Gaming added game shows that spice up the experience. Thanks to them, you can play games such as:
- Double Wheel Roulette
- Deal or No Deal
- Monopoly Live
- Dream Catcher
- Lightning Roulette
- Cash or Crash
- Football Studio
- Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt – adapted from the popular NetEnt slot machine game
Sports Betting
This is without a doubt the most popular way of gambling in Nigeria. As per the latest statistics, more than 50 million Nigerians are actively participating in sports betting, which is roughly one-third of Nigeria’s population. Being the most popular sport in the country, Nigerians bet mostly on football, followed by Basketball and tennis.
The betting sites recommended here are renowned for covering some of the top football leagues around the world, offering you decent odds to accompany the events. Furthermore, they offer plenty of other innovative features that make sports betting in Nigeria fun. In-play betting, cash-out (both partial and full), live streaming, bet builder and many other features are all included in the site’s manifest.
Online Poker
Undeniably, online poker is not a particularly popular form of gambling online in Nigeria. It’s a relatively new game in the industry that’s trying to get its place in the industry worldwide. But compared to other forms of gaming such as Sic Bo, Craps and Bingo, it ranks higher since it is a card game. Anyone in Nigeria trying to get their hand on this exciting game of skill has several platforms to pick from, which offer several entertaining games. You can play:
- Texas Hold’em
- Stud Poker
- Omaha
These poker platforms offer plenty of rooms and buy-ins to please all sorts of players with different tastes, budgets and levels of play. At some of the big online poker sites we’ve recommended for Nigerians, you will even be able to play in tournaments free of any charges and win REAL MONEY.
Guide to The Best Nigerian Online Gambling Sites
At this point, you are probably convinced enough to start gambling online. You already even have decided what site to visit from the list we’ve prepared for you. But it’s too early for that. Yes, we have prepared a list of several online gambling sites in Nigeria, but there are finer details you must go through before deciding on the best site to visit.
Remember, all the sites excel in different areas and to pick one that suits your gaming needs best, you should have a preference beforehand. Here are some of the factors that you need to consider before signing up at any one of the platforms. Bear in mind that these are also the same factors that we consider when reviewing before recommending online gambling sites to Nigerians.
Banking Services Offered
One of the factors you need to consider is the quality of banking services on offer. Online gambling sites in Nigeria or those that focus on the Nigerian market need to be very diverse in this category. In our expert opinion, an online gambling site should have a wide range of payment methods supported. Debit/credit cards, eWallets, cryptocurrencies, pre-paid cards and mobile money should all be available.
And it’s not just about the diversity of payment methods, but also the way the transactions are handled. Deposits should be instant and withdrawals fast to ensure you get your winnings in time. We also believe your ideal online gambling platform should not impose any form of fee(s) on the transactions. Deposits and withdrawals should all be free of any charges.
The Best Bonuses and Promotions Online
Those of you who have been visiting online gambling sites will agree with us that online bonuses and promotions are part and parcel of the lucrative industry. Bonuses and promotions have been around for many years and have seen changes over the past few decades. And because there are a few thousand casinos online, they all come with different types of offers and bonuses.
These bonuses may have the same names such as the welcome offer, match deposit offer, reload bonus, free spins, no deposit bonus and many more, but have very few differences. It is these small differences that can make a difference between a good and bad bonus.
Where exactly can you learn about the differences? Visit the terms and conditions section and read through the bonus rules. Be sure to look out for:
- The wagering requirements
- The expiration date of the offer
- Bonus eligibility
- Games that you can use the bonus to play with
All In One Gambling Site
The beauty of gambling online is the convenience that you get from it. You no longer have to visit the brick-and-mortar casino or a betting shop to sort your gambling needs. On the contrary, you only need your mobile device and internet connection and you are good to go.
What if we told you that can also enjoy all the trappings of online gambling convenience from under one roof? By this, we mean you get an online casino, live dealer platform, poker rooms, bingo rooms and bookmaker all under one site. It has been made possible thanks to the advancement of technology. Today, you can find all the popular forms of gambling online on one site.
Variety of Options On the Site
It shouldn’t be only about finding all the popular forms of betting in Nigeria under one roof, but also what you get from the site. It’s good enough not to have to switch sites to find something you want. It’s much better when you can play games, bet on sports and rattle a few cages in a poker game when there is variety. This makes for a fun and interesting gaming experience for you.
As for the online casino arm, it should have slots based on all the popular themes. Table games should also come in both classic and modern variations. And if you are looking to bet on sports, there should be enough coverage of sports accompanied by several markets.
Safety and Security
Last but not least is the most important matter when it comes to internet usage – safety and security. By signing up at an online gambling platform, you are agreeing that you will be providing sensitive personal and financial information. It’s only therefore fair for the online gambling brand to ensure the information you share with them is safely and securely stored. It should have several measures put in place to safeguard this including:
- The use of sophisticated SSL encryption technology
- Partnering with only legitimate online service providers. This includes payment providers and software developers (for the games)
- Renowned licensing bodies in the iGaming industry. The site should have the likes of MGA, UKGC, Government of Curacao or National Lottery Regulatory Commission and Lagos State Lotteries Board if it’s a local brand
Mobile Gambling Platforms – What You Need to Know
Access to mobile devices has become widely spread over the last decade or so. Today, the usage of mobile devices has become very common in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. In online gambling, mobile devices have played a very important role and it’s widely believed that they have been responsible for the rise in popularity in gambling.
For online gamblers, including those from Nigeria, finding a brand with a reliable mobile platform is essential. Essential because it helps determine how your overall experience online will be. And to determine this, there are several factors you need to consider. They include the following.
Ease of Usage and Navigation
Look at how easy it is to move around the platform. While doing so, ask yourself some of these questions. Are the important buttons visibly placed to make it easy for you to execute important decisions fast? How fast does the website load? Do you need to have the latest operating system for your device to enjoy the full potential of the mobile app?
A good site should, of course, check out in all the areas above or at least check out in most of them. Navigation should be smooth and ease of use should be above average. The services should also load up fast with minimum to no glitches at all.
Mobile Payment Services
Nigeria is one of the countries globally that utilizes mobile payment services the most. It is estimated that 15.3 million users in Nigeria use mobile money services. From this huge number, there is no doubt there are millions of users who would rather make their payments at gambling sites using mobile services.
It, therefore, goes without saying that a reliable online gambling site in Nigeria should have a wide range of mobile payment services. This should make it possible for you to make quick and seamless payments with the touch of your screen.
Application vs Browser-Based Mobile Gambling Sites
Long before the advancement of technology, online gambling sites and plenty of other iGaming platforms required players to download software to their devices. Online gambling sites would have both download and instant platforms for their users.
But things have changed over the years. With the introduction of mobile devices, there has been a need for new technology. Technology has seen the need for faster gambling platforms, using the minimum resources of the device. as possible. The result is the development of two platforms:
- Flash-based mobile gambling sites. Thanks to this, you don’t have to download any special software to enjoy a casino game or place a bet
- Download/mobile app gambling sites. They require you to download and install the software to enjoy a bet or play a game. This is more advantageous than the flash-based as some online gambling sites have extra features on this platform
Online Gambling Nigeria FAQ
Anyone who is 18 years and above can gamble online in Nigeria. You also need to visit an online casino or betting site that accepts Nigerian players.
It is 100% safe and secure to play at a Nigerian online gambling site. Online gambling sites in Nigeria use state of the art encryption technology. The 128 BIT SSL encryption ensures all your financial and personal information is safe at all times. Partnering with renowned players in the industry, such as software and financial providers, ensures you also get legitimate services. By playing at cryptocurrency-friendly online gambling sites in Nigeria, you get to enjoy the provably fair feature, which lets you check for the fairness/accuracy of the game’s results yourself.
A trustworthy online gambling site in Nigeria is characterized by features such as holding a legitimate license, supporting a variety of internationally renowned payment methods, having a good rapport in the iGaming industry, and most importantly having transparent terms and conditions in all aspects surrounding their service.
Yes, it is possible to win while playing at online gambling sites. There is a misconception that online gambling sites have been programmed to ensure that they always come out on top. On the contrary, any licensed and regulated online gambling platform is required by law to ensure the casino games results are 100% fair and regular. Random Number Generators are installed in all casino games to ensure the outcome of the game is 100% unpredictable and fair. The RNG software at the licensed casinos is usually audited by third-party software companies on a regular basis to ensure they function as they are supposed to.
It all depends on your pocket, but unlike the traditional gambling establishments, they offer cheaper and more affordable bet limits. With as little as ₦100, you can place a bet through a sportsbook or play a casino game online. If you are a big spender, the limits are also high, with some of the brands offering you limits of ₦15 million per round.
Absolutely not! All the live dealer games at the gambling establishments are usually streamed in real-time. You get to see as the dealers shuffle and deal the cards; spin the roulette wheel and throw the ball against the motion of the wheel and offer other interactive games in real-time. The atmosphere and experience are what makes live dealer gaming more fun!
Yes, it is possible to play casino games online for free. Software-based games are all playable for free. The demo mode is meant to enable you to try out a game without spending any money. All the features offered in real money mode are accessible through the demo mode. The only shortcoming of playing casino games online for free is that you don’t get to win any money. If you wish to win money playing casino games, you will have to switch to real money mode.
The amount you win depends on several factors; the game you are playing, the amount you stake as your bet and the game’s payout. Jackpot games offer better payouts than the regular game(s). By staking maximum in a casino game, you also stand a chance of winning more than someone playing the minimum bets. Lastly, a game with a higher payout percentage and high/medium volatility offer better payouts than one with a low payout percentage and low volatility.
Summary of Online Gambling In Nigeria
When all is said and done, the best online gambling sites in Nigeria are a click away. These platforms are ready to offer you THE gambling experience you’ve been searching for. The list of sites recommended on this page will cater to player categories of all sorts and we recommend you use our formula to pick one that caters to your needs.
