Nigeria Sees Surge in Online Betting Sign-ups Ahead of 2026: Regulators and Operators Brace for Growth

Nigeria is in the process of altering its laws regarding online gaming once more. Regulators and operators are preparing for the changes this could bring.

Imagine living in a country where connections are poor and mobile accessibility is even worse. To place a bet, you have to travel to dangerous, unlicensed local operators. Then one day, everything changes. You gain access to a device that can connect to the internet and provides you with a way to wager on sports games, both domestic and global. All this can be done from the palm of your hand with well-known, trusted operators. This has led to the explosive growth in Nigerian gambling, and a market that is now valued at $3.87 billion. Ahead of 2026, new sign-ups are plentiful and the growth seems set to continue.

Nigeria’s Current Gambling State of Play

Estimates are that over 60 million people now participate in online gambling in Nigeria. The country has the fastest-growing market on the African continent. Its gross gaming revenue has increased to 24% year on year, and its value has risen by $1.5 billion since 2020. Each day, around ten billion naira, which is the equivalent of $6.5 million, is placed in bets.

None of this could have happened with improved connectivity. The country has improved its smartphone penetration rate to around 50%. Added to this has been a wave of low-cost data plans. Estimates are that around 87% of players using a mobile device have done so as a result of 4G expansion.

The Most Popular Betting Markets

Of all wagers placed in Nigeria, sports betting accounts for around 75%. This mainly focuses on the ever-popular football. Local leagues are bet on, but international leagues like the English Premier League are also very popular. Added to this list are global tournaments like the World Cup, which always provide an uptick in revenue. After this, basketball and tennis are popular.

Unique to this demographic is the popularity of virtual sports, even outstripping casino table games in their level of popularity. This involves betting on digital recreations of events, like horse racing. Poker is still a niche pursuit and has not gained much traction in the country.

Slots are an area that is slowly gaining traction. Old school mechanical machines are not something that were used prolifically in African countries, unlike Europe and the US. Thus, the transition to digital ones the likes of which can be found at VegasSlotsOnline is slow, but growing. Third party sites such as this have helpful guides to introduce new players, as well as advice on games with the best RTP and where to gain bonuses to try them out. Combined with other casino games, this segment accounts for around 20% of all wagers made. Products based on lottery wagering account for around 5% of all wagers processed.

When the market is broken down, it becomes quite apparent that males between the ages of 18 and 34 account for most of the growth, with 70% of the audience share. There are 220 million+ citizens in Nigeria, and more than 60% of them are under 25. The 35-plus age group make up 20% of players, and are the ones who fund the small lottery playing community in the country.

When broken down into areas, 80% of players come from urban towns and cities. Of those playing on mobile devices, the 18 to 34 age group account for 90% of players.

Nigeria’s Uncertain Regulatory Vacuum

While the country seems to be undergoing a gambling renaissance, one major trepidation for operators is the country’s uncertain regulatory environment. Gambling in Nigeria has undergone many twists and turns, which have made operators hesitant to invest in the country. In November 2024, the long-standing National Lottery Act was invalidated by the Supreme Court. This placed laws in the hands of individual states, much like the approach taken in the United States. This meant the long-governing National Lottery Regulatory Commission now only oversaw the Federal Capital Territory, with others addressing their own locale.

What followed was a process by which operators needed to acquire a license from individual states to operate there. This was obviously troublesome, resulting in operational issues and compliance issues. The answer to this is the Central Gaming Bill, which will standardise major issues such as taxation and licensing across all states.

Even this has been fraught with issues. Lagos State argued that all gambling should remain a state matter. Brought in front of the Supreme Court, this legal battle had been holding up many of the proposed changes.

The Approval of the Central Gaming Bill

The Central Gaming Bill gained approval in mid-December 2025. This repealed the National Lottery Act of 2005 and the amendment made in 2017. It was done on its third reading, bringing it one step closer to being made law, and it requires only approval from President Bola Tinubu at the time of writing.

The bill was announced by Barau Jibrin, Deputy Senate President. His statement read that it would “Regulate the operation and business of all forms of online and remote gaming across the geographical boundaries of the federation units and beyond the borders of Nigeria, provide for the conduct of gaming in the Federal Capital Territory and enhance revenue generation for the federation and for related matters.”

The bill has the potential to be game-changing. It can boost revenue and improve licensing and compliance. Yet its heavy criticism has been abundant. As recently as November, the Coalition of Good Governance (CCG), a civil and public consortium, labelled the bill as ‘voyage of legislative rascality, recklessness and lawlessness’.

Arguments are that the country is going back on a bill that was previously made, and that the rule of the court should be final. Many have branded it in defiance of judicial authority and a direct attack on the rule of law. Even legal experts involved in the country’s iGaming sector have branded it unconstitutional. The Attorney-General (AG) of Lagos State recently urged the President not to sign he bill, viewing it as a potential constitutional breach and assault on the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Worries About The Growth in Gambling

This explosive growth has not come without worries. Many believe gambling is distracting people from the real issues plaguing Nigeria, which include unemployment, inflation and a weakening of the national currency.

There is also a worry that gambling is far too easy for minors to access. Naira Marley is a well-known Nigerian Afrobeats artist. He sparked debate in September when he warned against the danger of addiction to football betting. His post on X read “Football bet no be work bro. Please stop before they finish you.” Marley has long been a voice that speaks directly to Nigerian urban youth. This highlighted a growing epidemic taking place across Nigeria’s towns and cities, where much of the audience for gambling operators comes from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NScg98gYumI

Data shows that around 66% of Nigerians have placed a sports bet at least once. Of those in the 18 to 25 age group, 42.6% have made a sports bet. A further 96.6% of people surveyed said they believe social media promotes betting, which has led to addiction to betting promotions.

This is not just an issue impacting Nigeria, however, but is something proving an issue across sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Ethiopia, over 76% of youth aged 18-35 have gambled in some form at least once. The results also showed that half of the bettors suffered from depression. Examples and horror stories are plentiful, with university undergraduates being a group that is specifically at risk. Students are known to make bets with as little as 50 naira.

Nigeria’s Uncertain Future in Gambling

Nigeria is at a crossroads. Its public is becoming tech savvy, and is a young demographic that wants to connect. The online gambling industry is one way this will be done, and if left unregulated, lessons from other countries have shown that this drives people offshore.

Offshore betting has many issues in itself. In unregulated markets, there are few player protections and players are handing over money that could be taxed domestically and used to benefit the country itself. Thus, regulation is a way to bring these people back to licensed operators.

Nigeria is forcing through regulation, though the price is that many see it as something that is undermining its democracy and faith in the courts. As of January, an 11% flat tax on Good Causes for Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) will be introduced across all operators. If the government can show the good causes this is going to bring, it may alleviate many of the fears people have.

What the country really needs are safer gambling initiatives, built to address the concerns people have about problem gambling. They have many of the case studies for this across the globe, particularly from European countries that have successful regulated markets. They could also learn how to manage the balancing act of bringing people back to licensed regulators, while not overregulating and sending people offshore.

With the introduction of the new act, it will hopefully attract the best providers, some of whom will already be used to working alongside these initiatives. If applied properly and the real issues are addressed head-on, there is no real reason Nigeria can not have a successful gambling market.