Nigeria is a West African country with a long and rich history and is an emerging global power, having one of the largest economies in Africa. That stated, Nigerians have found that gambling and games of luck are exciting hobbies, with many people regularly playing the lottery.
Still, the rules and regulations are strict and unclear when it comes to gambling, as the laws governing gambling are old and inapplicable by today’s standards. Here we’ll take a detailed overview of Nigerian gambling laws and explain all the vital things regarding access to online casinos to Nigerians. You will also learn essential information on accessing online casinos from Nigeria and expert advice on playing casino games in Nigeria.
1 |  | Make your first deposit and get a 100% match bonus |
| Read 22Bet Review | |
2 |  | 100% Match Bonus of up to £100 now! |
| Read 888Casino Review | |
3 |  | 100% Up To €120 + 120 Free Spins |
| Read 20Bet Review | |
4 |  | 100 Free Spins on Book of Dead! |
| Read Prime Casino Review | |
5 |  | Match Welcome Bonus Package up to $5,000! |
| Read Wild Casino Review | |
6 |  | A 100% Four Deposit Match Bonus of up to $1,600 |
| Read JackpotCityCasino Review | |
7 |  | GET YOUR 50% UP TO $5,000 WELCOME BONUS! |
| Read MansionCasino Review |
Nigeria is one of the countries with unclear laws regarding online gambling. The Nigerian Criminal Code Act states that only betting/pools, lotteries, and several land-based casinos are legal in Nigeria. But another law, the Gaming Machines (Prohibition) Act of 1977, specifies that owning and operating gaming machines in Nigeria is illegal. Anyone caught and convicted of owning/operating gaming machines will get a year in prison without the option to pay a fine.
Still, Nigeria has only three legal land-based casinos, two in Lagos and one in Abuja. These casinos have gaming machines in them, and it is unclear how these operate, but the police do not pursue them. Per the laws, it is illegal for Nigerians to host and operate an internet-based gambling site within Nigerian borders.
However, Nigerian laws don’t stipulate anything about its citizens partaking in online gambling at one of the many online casinos that accept Nigerian players. The law is outdated when it comes to online casinos, and the Nigerian government cannot prevent its people from accessing and using the services of international online casinos that accept Nigerians.
Is Online Casino Legal in Nigeria?
Online gambling is not strictly legal in Nigeria, but it is not regulated per Nigerian law, as the law is outdated and inapplicable by today’s standards. Since the law does not stipulate anything about online casinos, Nigerians have access to online casinos that accept Nigerian players.
When selecting the best online casinos in Nigeria, here are the key things the casinos should have, and Nigerian players need to be aware of these:
Prefer only to join online casino platforms with a strong reputation. To be safe, make sure there are no significant scandals related to the online casino, and check their SSL certificate and encryption parameters.
The online casino site should provide a good welcome offer for new members. Because all online gambling platforms have some sort of welcome offer, make sure the one you select has fair terms and conditions.
The game types provided by the online gaming platform are a major deciding factor, and when it comes to Nigerian gamblers, roulette, slots, baccarat, and blackjack are the games of choice.
When selecting an online gambling platform in Nigeria, accessibility is another consideration. Since about 66% of the Nigerian population has access to the internet and many use it actively, especially on their mobile devices, the online casino website must have good mobile optimization and mobile app.
Online gambling requires you to deposit real money, so Nigerians should look for online gambling platforms that provide safe and secure payment methods. Per Nigerian habits, they prefer to pay with credit cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrency.
Any online casino should have quality customer support service for its players. Nigerian gamblers should look for an online gaming platform with knowledgeable and professional customer support staff.
Getting into online gambling is relatively straightforward, but here are the steps a novice Nigerian gambler needs to know before signing up for an online casino site:
Nigerians have recently discovered their love of gambling, and while many of them prefer sports betting over gambling, several casino games have caught Nigerans’ attention. Here are the most popular games among Nigerian gamblers:
Slots and all other gaming machines are illegal in Nigeria, so many Nigerian players choose to play slots games at international online casino sites. Some of the favorite slots games for Nigerians are Mega Moolah, Starburst, and Immortal Romance.
Per Nigerian laws, gambling with table card games is illegal in the country. Still, as long as an international online casino accepts Nigerian players, they can play any card game they like. Thus, Nigerians often partake in baccarat and blackjack as two of casinos’ most popular and dynamic card games.
Roulette is among the favorite casino games for Nigerians as it is deemed illegal in land-based establishments, so many Nigerians go online and play it. The most popular version of roulette among Nigerians is European roulette, also known as single-zero roulette giving the players a more significant chance of winning.
Every online casino has a welcome bonus for new members, and the online casino websites that accept Nigerians are no exception. Here are the most common bonus offers for Nigerian players:
Nigerians like to get their hands on promotions, and the welcome bonus is among the guaranteed promo deals that all online casino platforms provide. The welcome bonus usually involves a bonus matching on the initial deposit but almost always comes with wagering requirements and terms and conditions.
Slots are one of the favorite casino games for Nigerian players, and free spins are always a lovely bonus. Casinos award free spins with their welcome offers as a part of special promotions, and some even award free spins to regular players.
The payout rates are an essential factor when choosing an online casino in any country. When it comes to players from Nigeria, the payouts are equally important, and Nigerians should look for the payouts for the games they prefer to play, like roulette, slots, blackjack, and baccarat. The casino’s overall payout rates are calculated as an average of all the casino games, so it makes more sense to check the payouts for your chosen game.
When selecting an online casino provider in Nigeria, the available payment options are of vital importance, as if one can’t deposit funds, there is no way they can play the games. All the online casinos available in Nigeria have payment methods like credit and debit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, etc. Nigerians usually prefer to make payments via these methods:
✅ Credit/Debit Cards – The credit or debit card is the most popular payment method with online casinos, and Nigerian players mainly prefer to use their credit and debit cards for this purpose. Using credit/debit cards is simple, quick, and convenient, and the method supports both deposits and withdrawals.
Nigerians usually use Visa, Interswitch, Verve, and Naira Master Card. Most online casinos accept USD and GBP currencies, and Nigerians can make deposits in the Nigerian currency Naira.
✅ Bank Transfers – Nigerians prefer to make deposits to their chosen online casino using bank transfers. The direct bank deposit is also popular, as it allows Nigerian players to transfer money from their bank accounts to their online casino accounts. The most popular banks in Nigeria are UBA, Union Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, and Sterling Bank.
Online banking is another popular method for Nigerians, but the only bank with this option in Nigeria is GT Bank. It is fast and convenient and supports payments from mobile, but this service usually charges a high fee.
A popular online payment method favored by Nigerians is the PayCom system. It is accepted at many online casinos and is a fast and convenient method to send and receive money, and it can be done via mobile.
✅ Cryptocurrencies – Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are slowly finding their way as an online payment method by Nigerians. As the legality of online gambling is still not fixed, many Nigerians prefer to use cryptocurrency as a payment method as it provides anonymity.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Nigerian Players?
Nigerian casino players have many convenient deposit and withdrawal methods like credit and debit cards, bank transfers, etc. Nigerians prefer to use their credit and debit cards, bank transfers, online banking, and the PayCom online payment system. Cryptocurrencies are slowly making their way as one of Nigerians’ preferred online payment methods.
When it comes to the legality of online casinos in Nigeria, things are not clearly outlined like in other countries. However, as long as the online casino platform does not have any legal ties to Nigerians and has the proper licenses, Nigerians can legally join and enjoy the casino games on that platform. Here are the main pros you need to know when selecting a legal online gambling platform in Nigeria:
The legal online casinos in Nigeria should provide generous bonuses, deposit matches, free spins, seasonal promos, and have loyalty programs. Most of these are appealing and often include tempting sums that Nigerians can enjoy.
Navigation, ease of use, and convenience are vital when selecting an online casino platform. Nigerian players should look for platforms that are easy to navigate and use and are optimized for use on mobile, as most Nigerians are actively using mobile internet.
When selecting a legal online gambling platform in Nigeria, you need to consider the variety of options offered by the platform. We’ve said above that roulette, slots, baccarat, and blackjack are the preferred gambling game of Nigerians, but some may prefer other casino games.
Nigeria has strict regulations regarding casinos and gambling and unclear rules about online gambling. Still, the online casinos that provide services to Nigerian players should have valid licenses from reputable gambling commissions. The platforms also must have proper SSL encryption, transparent terms and conditions, and independently tested RNGs.
Nigerian players should join only legal online gambling platforms with knowledgeable customer service. It is essential, as the customer service people are the ones who will ultimately work on solving your issues with the casino platform.
We covered the vital aspects of online casino sites in Nigeria, and now, here are some expert tips to help you enjoy online gambling in Nigeria.
Nigeria still has some outdated laws regarding gambling, and while the country is making changes, they have yet to come to a new law regarding online gambling. Per the currently governing law, online gambling is not regulated. As long as Nigerians participate in an international casino platform unrelated to a Nigerian company, they can freely partake in online gambling.
Nigerian online casinos accept players older than 18 years. All online casinos have the same stipulation of accepting players older than 18, some even accepting players older than 21. In the local Nigerian brick-and-mortar casinos, the players need to be at least 20 years of age to enter a casino.
Yes, you need to sign up on Nigerian casino sites, and the sign-up process is the same as with any online casino website/platform.
Nigerian casino players prefer online casino platforms with more deposit methods like credit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, PaySafeCards, and even cryptocurrencies. Nigerians usually transfer via credit/debit cards, online banking, and cryptocurrencies.
The withdrawal method should be the same as the deposit method, and Nigerians prefer to withdraw money via bank transfer, credit-debit cards, and cryptocurrencies.
Online casino sites accept payments mainly in USD, EUR, and GBP. However, Nigerian gamblers often transfer money via their credit/debit cards and bank transfers in Nigeria’s local currency Naira (NGN). We need to note that such transfers almost always undergo conversion fees.
Playing for free depends on the casino in question, as some online casinos have a no-deposit offer that allows new players to get a small amount of free money or free spins to test the games.
Nigeria still has laws that are remnants of when the country was under British rule, and the Nigerian tax laws reflect this. Per Nigerian Tax law, every Nigerian citizen must report their winnings to the state and pay 25% of their total worldwide income, meaning paying 25% tax on their casino winnings.
The withdrawal of your winnings depends on the selected gambling platform and the used withdrawal method. Online casinos usually process withdrawal requests within 24 hours. If you take your winnings via e-wallet, it takes about 15 minutes, and it can take about ten business days via bank transfer.
People in Nigeria who have a gambling problem can use help from international institutions like Gamblers Anonymous, BeGambleAware.org, and Gambling Therapy. There is no Nigeria-specific helpline that helps Nigerian gamblers get help with their addiction.
🔎 Looking for betting sites? Here are the best betting sites in Nigeria.
