This article is a complete guide on gambling in Nigeria. The government of Nigeria has legalized three types of gambling: sports betting, lottery games and some forms of casino gambling. The launch of Nigeria’s first online lottery game was soon followed by the development of three land-based casinos to attract the tourist dollar although an increasing number of locals are playing at casinos.
Types of Gambling in Nigeria
- Lotteries: Nigeria has its own daily and weekly lotto draws with jackpots in the millions, as well as instant scratch-off games.
- Land-Based Casinos: Nigeria has three land-based casinos, two situated in Lagos, and another one in Abuja. Some casinos are open 24/7 whilst others open their doors for a limited number of hours each day.
- Online Gambling: Players can find domestic and offshore online gambling sites that accept players from Nigeria. They offer sports betting, lotto and casino games.
Featured Gambling Sites
- PlayHugeLottos.com
read reviewLotto fans can buy tickets safely for every big lottery in the world.
Play Now
Players from South Africa are accepted at this site - Bet365
read reviewBet on all global sports events including European football.
Play Now Players from South Africa are not accepted at this site - Platinum Play Casino
read reviewA great casino that accepts players from all over Africa.
Play Now Players from South Africa are not accepted at this site - Royal Vegas Mobile Casino
read reviewWin a million dollar progressive jackpot on your phone.
Play Now Players from South Africa are not accepted at this site
Gambling Legislation and Regulation in Nigeria
As per Chapter 22 of the Criminal Code Act enacted in 1990, the government of Nigeria defined exactly what constitutes illegal forms of gambling. Unlawful gambling refers to roulette, dice games except backgammon, non-skill based card games, chacha and cowries games, and any other games of chance which are not favourable to the player. The Act, however, allows betting business and racing totes.
The gambling laws pertain to both operators and players found to be participating in unlawful gambling venues. Although it must be said the penalties for owners and operators of illegal gambling houses is far greater.
In addition to the Criminal Code Act, there are other gambling laws that govern the operation of gaming machines in Nigeria. There is the Gaming Machines (Prohibition) Act of 1977, which made it illegal to import or own any gaming machine. The exception to all of this is licensed land-based casino gaming establishments, which can offer slot machines and other casino games.
Lotteries in Nigeria
The National Lottery Act of 2004 began regulating a national online lottery game, Lotto Nigeria. The aim of the Nigerian National Lottery is to raise funds for the development of National Sports and other good causes for the nation. To play the Nigerian Lotto you need to pick 6 numbers between 1 and 49. You win the top jackpot prize if you correctly pick all the winning numbers, but also win a prize if you guess 5, 4, or 3 of the numbers.
The addition of Quick Lotto, another nationwide online lottery, is a Nigerian initiative with daily/weekly lotto draws and instant scratch games. They have a daily Quick 5 lotto draws and a weekly Mega Hammer draw. With the rise of smartphones in Nigeria, users of these mobile phones can now play online lotto games without having to find a lottery agent.
Land Based Casinos in Nigeria
The government of Nigeria has licensed three land-based casinos in Nigeria. The Federal Palace Casino in Lagos boasts 130 coinless slot machines, which makes it very easy for slots players to get on a machine. The casino also has 10 table casino games, ranging from American Roulette, Blackjack and Casino Hold'em. The casino’s operator, Sun International, owns around forty properties throughout the Africa continent.
Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos is within walking distance of a private beach and has its own casino that boasts 17 table and card games including Blackjack, Poker and Roulette. The casino is open daily from 10am. The hotel complex on the premises has more than 600 rooms.
Transcorp Hilton in Abuja is Nigeria’s third casino. The casino’s gaming floor has over 40 gaming machines, and 9 table (roulette, blackjack) and poker games.
Sports Gambling in Nigeria
Sports betting is booming in Nigeria. Nigerians can wager on sports in betting shops, over the phone, and on the Internet at Nigerian online sports betting sites. Football betting is most popular, but they also bet on the basketball, tennis, cricket and many other world sports and leagues around the world.
Punters can look to bet on local Sportsbooks as well as a variety of overseas Sportsbooks that include the likes of Britain’s biggest betting brands.
Among the local brands, Betland is one of the leading land-based bookmakers in the region with over 100 betting shops. The betting company is regulated in Nigeria and bets can be placed in person or through their online betting platform.
Winasbet is another major Nigerian sports betting operator. Established in 2011, Winas Bet have 110 outlets across Nigeria in Aba, Abuja, Benue, Calabar, Eboyin, Eket, Enugu, Ikot Epene, Ilorin, Lagos, Nassarawa, Port Harcourt, Suleja, Uyo and Warri. They offer betting on football matches, virtual football games, with many other betting markets available.
Online Sports Betting in Nigeria
The Nigerian gambling laws make no reference to online gambling. There are many Nigerians who gamble on the Internet as well as on their smartphones. Licensed online gaming operators from around the world including locally allow players to sign up and place sports wagers.
Nairabet is Nigeria's first online sports betting website with over 100,000 customers. Their online betting platform offers sports betting, live betting, phone bets and the option to play casino games. This online sportsbook is fully licensed and regulated by the Lagos State Lotteries Board. Players can either make deposits/withdrawals at one of the many outlets in Lagos or on their website.
Winners Golden Bet is an online sports betting website based in Lagos. Their online betting platform allows Nigerians to bet on many different football fixtures, basketball, tennis, baseball, virtual dog racing and virtual football leagues, just to name a few betting markets.
Another licensed Nigerian online bookmaker is Merrybet, which offers a wide range of betting markets for sports bettors in Nigeria, including football, rugby, tennis and darts. Being a Nigerian-based sports betting website, they accept bets in Nigerian Naira (NGN).
You won’t have to search much to find various other sports betting sites that cater to the Nigerian market. Nigerian sports bettors will also be able to place sports wagers from anywhere and at anytime using the mobile services offered by these online sportsbooks.
Online Casinos in Nigeria
Although Nigerians are fond of online sports betting, casino gambling is also fairly popular. There are some online casinos that don’t just welcome players from Nigeria they allow the players to play in NGN and offer convenient banking methods. The first licensed domestic Nigerian online casino, NairaGames.com, was launched in 2013, as opposed to the many offshore online casinos, but it's no longer operational.
Licensed offshore online casino operators are popular with Nigerians, because of their convenience, the good selection of games, and they're licensed in other jurisdictions, giving players the peace of mind. In the Nigerian online casino section we recommend some of the best online casino sites. All of the recommended online casinos accepting Nigerian players are mobile-friendly and work with all the major mobile operators in Nigeria including MTN.
Illegal Gambling in Nigeria
There are a number of illegal gambling houses spread throughout the country, from unlicensed slot machines to underground casinos. If something was to happen, there is no way to protect yourself, which is why locals and tourists alike should make sure they are dealing with a legal operator before gambling at any establishment. Because scams targeting tourists are commonplace, you’d be much better off going to a licensed casino or gambling at a licensed online casino.
About Nigeria
Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of Africa" because of the fact it has the largest African population and economy. The total population of the West African country is approximately 174 million people. The official language of Nigeria is English.
