| Criteria | Description |
| Population of Nigeria | 213.4 million (as of 2021) |
| How many people bet on sports | 66% of Nigerians have gambled for real money at least once |
| Legality, regulators | Dual legislation, but sports betting has been legal since 2005. The regulator is the National Lotteries Regulatory Commission of Nigeria |
| Popular sports for betting | The leader is soccer. Basketball and volleyball are also popular. |
| Gambling options in the country | Sports betting, lotteries, keno, casinos. Online casino games are only available on platforms with international licences. Nigerian licensed bookmakers are Bet9ja, SportyBet. |
| Bonuses | Freebet on deposit, first deposit bonus, cashback, themed promotions during holidays |
| Game currency | NGN |
Specialists of our site cooperate with both popular and regional bookmakers: they evaluate gaming platforms according to a number of important criteria, make exclusive bookmaker ratings. We place bets, monitor the speed of withdrawals, the quality of work and the efficiency of technical support. Our aim is to promote honest and reliable bookmakers in Nigeria and prevent gambling addiction.
How we rate the top bookmakers in Nigeria
The main criteria for inclusion in our rating are honesty and transparency, reliability, accessible clear rules of play, high quality licensed software. But most importantly, the bookmaker must be legal, having obtained documents for the right to operate in the country or from international regulators.
What we look for in the rating process:
- Legality – the bookmaker must be licensed. Local casinos, state lottery, bookmakers have received documents for the right to operate from the Nigerian regulator. The most popular bookmakers have licences from Cyprus, Malta, United Kingdom, Curacao.
- Currency – Bookmakers operating in Nigeria accept the local currency.
- Publicity – information about the licence, rules of the bookmaker should be available to all users. As a rule, in reliable bookmakers the number of the document, jurisdiction is indicated in the sections “About us”, “Contacts”, “Rules”, in the footer of the main page of the site.
- Experience – all international platforms offering their services in Nigeria have been operating in the gambling market for more than 10 years. It is also important that they have a presence in other countries around the world.
- Multilingualism of the official website, support of the national languages – in Nigeria it is English, so users will have no problems reading and understanding the bookmaker’s rules.
- The ability to use various methods of funding personal accounts – from bank cards and mobile payments to cryptocurrencies.
- Availability of real time broadcasts of sporting events, live casino – these services require significant costs. Therefore, they are offered only by large and reliable international bookmakers.
- Bonus system – various profitable offers for bettors, slots fans, simple and accessible loyalty programme, gifts and drawings of valuable prizes.
How to choose a bookmaker – expert advice
The right choice of the gambling platform is the safety of money and personal data, honesty in the settlement with users and full confidentiality. Therefore, do not just get excited about huge bonuses, it is better to pay attention to the reviews of punters and experts in forums and independent sites.
Tip! You will be able to win the prize only by studying the team (athlete), statistics in the sport in which you know. And you can get these winnings only by registering with a reliable and honest bookmaker.
Recommendations for choosing a gambling platform:
- Licensing documents – information about the licence number, date of issue and expiry, cooperation with international auditors should be available to the punter.
- Choice of sports – the more the better. Reliable bookmakers offer all types of bets (orders, accumulators in prematch and live, systems).
- Financial operations – ways to deposit money into the account, minimum and maximum amounts, availability of taxes, withdrawal conditions.
- Player identification – the rules should specify what documents the player is required to provide, clear terms for their verification. If it is “at the discretion of the administration”, registration should be refused.
- Responsible gambling – the bookmaker must specify the minimum age of the player, a list of territories in which it does not provide services, users to whom certain bonuses are not available.
If you still have questions about the activities of the bookmaker, ask them to the technical support. Specialists from reputable gaming platforms respond to all enquiries, even from unregistered users.
Player security and betting licences
Gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Lottery Act. The law legalising gambling was passed in late 1990, but lotteries were not allowed until 2005.
The country’s legislation divides gambling into legal and illegal gambling. In the former, the user’s winnings depend mainly on his skill, so betting on sports, lotteries and poker are officially allowed in the country. In illegal games, nothing depends on the player. These include slot machines, roulette, craps, table card games (except poker).
At the same time, however, legislative norms do not consider and officially prohibit the activity of online casinos. Providers do not restrict players’ access to any gambling platforms. The legal age for gambling is 18 years.
The tax rate on winnings in Nigeria is quite high at 25%. It must be paid by all citizens, regardless of the country in which they received the winnings and their current place of residence.
How to legally bet on sports in Nigeria
Betting on sports, cyber sports, buying lottery tickets can be done legally on online platforms. Slots, roulette or cards are illegal games. It is technically illegal to play them, although 3 land-based casinos are open in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s legislation is contradictory. Some casino gambling is illegal, but land-based casinos operate. Buy lottery tickets, their issue and circulation is regulated by the country’s legislation. It is safe to bet on sports and play in online casinos.
The Best Legal Bookmakers in Nigeria
Bet9ja – the most popular bookmaker in the country according to most surveys. Licensed by the Lagos State Lotteries Authority, but can operate throughout Nigeria. Minimum deposit is NGN 100. The bonus is +170% on a winning ticket with a minimum of 5 expresses. There are also regular cumulative jackpot draws.
SportyBet Nigeria is a legal bookmaker licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) under number 0001014. The minimum deposit amount is NGN 100. The bonus programme is simple – 10% cash back for regular players, Live Odds Boost option – odds increase for individual live bets.
1xBet is an international offshore bookmaker that accepts users from Nigeria. NGN – one of hundreds of game currencies. Deposit methods include bank cards, online banking, mobile operators, e-wallets and cryptocurrencies. The minimum deposit is 100 NGN, the minimum withdrawal is the equivalent of 1.5 USD. Offers betting on sports, cybersports, dog racing, horse racing, totalizator. Welcome bonus package – up to 700,000 NGN and 150 free spins.
Betway is a bookmaker with a licence from the island of Curacao. The minimum deposit is the equivalent of 10 USD. Offers betting on sports and eSports. Bonuses: Welcome – for newcomers up to 200 USD when depositing into a personal account, for all – freebet for a bet with odds from 1.75.
Melbet is a well-known international bookmaker in Africa and Europe with an office in Cyprus. They accept players from Nigeria, NGN is one of the currencies they offer. For newcomers it offers a welcome bonus on the first deposit – +100% on the deposit (maximum NGN 100,000). The minimum deposit amount depends on the payment system – from 100 to 2500 NGN. Nigerian users can make financial transactions using Visa and Mastercard bank cards, e-wallets and cryptocurrencies. The minimum withdrawal amount depends on the payment system and ranges from NGN 13 for Piastrix to NGN 14,000 for bank cards.
How to play and win with a bookmaker
To play, a player from Nigeria must be at least 18 years old. The customer of the bookmaker must realise that no one is insured against losing. However, choosing a reliable bookmaker is one of the main conditions for potential winnings. It is also necessary to know and understand in detail the discipline on which you intend to bet: follow the statistics and results, the events around the match (injuries, psychological state).
At the same time, the betting mechanism itself is quite simple. Algorithm for the user:
- Create an account on the betting site and pass the account verification.
- Make a deposit.
- Select a sporting event and the outcome you would like to bet on.
- Specify the amount of the bet.
- Confirm the bet in the betslip.
Do not give in to emotions, do not bet on your favourite team just for fun, analyse the behaviour of the leading players and the general mood. Remember that there are no 100% winning strategies. Betting on sports is nothing more than entertainment.
If you have a gambling addiction, the legal bookmaker SportyBet Nigeria offers you to contact the organisation GambleAlert. Phone number: +2349162957989.
FAQ
How do I know if a bookmaker has a national licence in Nigeria?
Look in the “About Us”, “Contacts” sections on the main page of the gaming platform’s website. They are usually located in the footer of the page.
What games can I legally play in Nigeria?
Absolutely legal are sports and cyber sports betting, lotteries and poker. All other games are technically illegal. However, international online platforms offer slots and live casinos. As the game is played on the web, it is impossible to prove the illegality of the player’s actions.
What currency can I use to play in Nigeria?
NGN is available both on the platforms of national operators and among the currencies of international betting sites. The latter can offer alternatives in over 100 other currencies, including USD, EUR, CNY.
What are the restrictions on players from Nigeria?
Only sports betting and lotteries are legal in the country. The country’s legislation does not cover the rules of international sportsbooks. All types of gambling are available to players.
Do I have to pay tax on winnings from betting or lottery?
Yes, you do. All Nigerian citizens must pay 25% tax on winnings, regardless of where they currently reside and where the gaming platform is registered.
Is it worth playing with international bookmakers when there are local operators?
As a rule, international companies offer more favourable conditions for playing: range of entertainment, odds, bonuses. At the same time, the guarantee of payouts and fair play is higher with local bookmakers that have obtained a Nigerian licence, as their activities are linked to local government guarantees.
