Nigeria is one of the most populated countries in the world. The number of its residents is constantly growing which makes the Nigerian market attractive for many investors. That is the reason why many casino owners have decided to offer their services to the people that live there.
But Is Gambling Legal In Nigeria?
Answering the question from the subtitle is not easy. Believe it or not, gambling is legal and illegal at the same time in one of the most populated countries in the world. The law and regulations are not the same across the entire country. In some locations, tourists and locals can normally enjoy different gambling games while in other regions something like that is impossible.
While you are reading this article, there are only four towns that have gambling facilities. Speaking about gaming venues, there are only nine of them in the entire country.
The improvement of the gambling laws started in the late 90s. The national government of the country legalized only specific forms of gambling. Logically, the main reason why they did that is to create a new opportunity for the tax generation. More precisely, the financial experts wanted to use that opportunity to improve the financial stability within the country.
What about online gambling? Well, foreign online casinos can legally operate in Nigeria. Most of them contain a license approved by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. For those that do not know, it is important to mention thatUKGC is one of the most reliable regulatory bodies in the world. Their license confirms that a particular gambling site is operating legally and honestly. That is the reason why the casino websites reviewed here will ensure that you have a pleasant gambling experience next time.
Official Statistics about Gambling in Nigeria You May Want to Know
Source: noi-polls
The research above actually confirms how popular gambling, as well as sports betting, is in Nigeria. More than a half of respondents that they enjoy gambling games online and offline every single day. There are also nearly 40% of them that are enjoying this activity a few times a week (in most cases 2 or 3 times per week).
Generally speaking, it is important to mention that gambling is not equally popular in all parts of the country. Logically, different law requirements are the main reason why people in certain areas do not have interests of that type.
For instance, nearly 92% of people regularly gamble in the South-West region. Lagos, the place where the largest Nigerian casino is located, is there, and that directly influenced the behaviour and mentality of people there. On the other hand, thighs are way more different in the northern part of Nigeria. In states such as Sokoto, Taraba, and Gombe, the percentage of people that regularly gamble is around 50%.
What about the average age of the gamblers? Well, this can be another reason why the casino industry is becoming viral here. The average age of the Nigerian gambling lover is around 25 years. Most people that play, for instance, different casino games in Lagos are between 18 and 32 years old. From the total number of them, more than 50% gamble at least three times a week.
What Exactly Is Going to Happen with Casino Industry in the Future?
Will the same trend continue? Believe it or not, until the end of this year, there will approximately be around 182 million mobile users! Can you imagine how interesting this market can be for hundreds of gambling operators that want to improve their income and ensure a pleasant experience for everyone? That is the reason why the online casino industry is hardly going to disappear soon from this region.
Another thing that is quite obvious is the growth of partnerships. A big number of telecom companies that operate in this region have connected with the payment companies. That form of collaboration made mobile gambling a lot more affordable than ever before. Despite that, many offshore companies (like the ones we listed above) see Nigeria as a lifetime opportunity to raise their profit. Don’t forget that this country has 201 million people, and the number of gambling lovers will certainly grow soon.
Why Have People of Nigeria Decided to Gamble Online?
Just like anywhere in the world, people within this country consider online gambling comfortable. They can enjoy different games from the comfort of their room. Besides that, bonuses, rewards, free spins, and other stuff make gambling more accessible. People can try out a couple of games without investing a lot of money (in no-deposit casinos, they don’t have to invest anything at the beginning).
Another reason why online gambling has become so popular is safe payment methods. People in Nigeria can deposit their money without any concern that their personal data will get exposed. The licensed casinos ensured good protection of customer’s data!
What about the Remaining Part of Africa?
Well, all the countries on this continent should thank South Africa for the gambling revolution. It is one of the first countries within Africa that legalized gambling completely and allowed online gambling providers to actively operate on their market. Thanks to their example, many other countries did the same.
However, the situation across Africa is not the same everywhere. It is divided into three different groups, and they are – countries with no regulations, countries where online casinos are banned, and countries where gambling is partially or completely legalized. You can conclude on your own in which group Nigeria is.
Speaking of the economy, the studies suggest gambling ensured growth of 1% in Central and Western Africa. However, the studies also predict the economic growth will be around 3% in the next 2 years. These stats do not have to surprise us as more and more companies are coming to work here.
Best Online Casinos in Nigeria that Deserve Your Attention
Before we end this article, it would probably be good to mention a couple of online casinos that deserve your attention. Once again, you can find a bunch of casinos on the link that we attached above. However, there are three of them we would especially like to highlight and review. Let’s go!
- 888 Casino
888 casino is a worldwide famous casino that also operates on the territory of Nigeria. It is an amazing casino that will give you a 100% bonus for all the deposits up to $200. You will manage to enjoy more than 750 different types of online slots as well as 27 different table games. There are also live tables (currently, around 110 of them) where you can fulfill your free time with entertainment. The payment options available for this gambling site are PayPal and Visa, two of the most reliable ones.
- Betsson
Betsson gives you an incredible 100% bonus for all the deposits up to 100 Euros. However, you will also get 101 free spins that you can use and test your luck. The number of games you can enjoy is around 1600 while more than 1500 of them are mobile games. There are less than 60 live tables in case you want to get a more realistic gambling experience and interact with other players.
- Mansion Casino
Mansion Casino offers you a bonus of up to $5000 when you deposit your money. However, the number of games is not that big – only 899 of them (776 are mobile games). Speaking of live games, there are 78 them, which is a great number when we put into consideration some other casinos. The average review of this casino is 4.75. That is probably a great social proof for you.
Final Thought
With so many online casinos that operate here as well as casino operators that want to operate in the future, it doesn’t need to surprise us why the Nigerian casino industry is experiencing improvement. The same trend will probably continue in the future years, so it is the right moment to be a part of that success by finding the casino that meets all of your expectations.