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.
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Quick Jump
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Online gambling is not strictly legal in Nigeria, but it is not regulated per Nigerian law, as the law is outdated and inapplicable by today’s standards.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.
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 The law is outdated when it comes to online casinos, and the Nigerian government cannot prevent its people from accessing and using the services of international online casinos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.
Choose an Online Gambling Platform Catering to Nigerian Players.
Check the Casino’s License and Explore Available Games.
Select a Welcome Offer and Deposit Money to Your Account.
Choose Your Preferred Game and Start Playing.
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:
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:
A bonus offered to new players when they first sign up for an account with a casino. It can come in the form of a deposit match or free spins.
A bonus offered to new players without the need to make a deposit. It can come in the form of free spins or bonus money.
A bonus that awards a certain number of free spins on a specific slot game or a selection of games.
A bonus that refunds a percentage of a player's losses over a certain period of time.
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 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:
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.
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