Gambling is an incredibly popular activity across the entire world. This has only been exacerbated in recent years thanks to the amount of people who now use online casinos and play online gambling games.
That said, online gambling and regular gambling laws vary from country to country and therefore, before you get started, it’s important to have a good understanding of what the laws in your area are. It’s not necessarily anything to worry about as chances are, if gambling is illegal in your country, then you’re simply not going to be able to access online casinos. However, it is still good to be in the know before you begin your gaming journey. This article is going to look in more detail at the gambling laws in place in Nigeria.
Is Gambling Popular in Nigeria?
Yes, gambling is very popular in Nigeria as citizens from across the country love heading out to play different gambling games. Some of the largest contributors towards its popularity include:
- Cost: a lot of the time, one of the factors that puts many people off playing online gambling games is the cost; however, they can be played on either very cheaply or for free these days thanks to the different offers put forward by different online websites. For instance, it’s easy for people to play on free games if they like, all they need to do is look up where these games are available online.
- Range: There is a huge range in the number of games that are available. People used to be stuck with a limited number of games that they could play as they were only able to go on what the casinos had to offer. Following the increased popularity of online gambling, there’s a lot more variety out there for people who want more of an innovative game to play.
The Cultural View Towards Gambling in Nigeria
Previously, gambling in Nigeria was viewed as antisocial behaviour and as such, was widely discouraged by the church. There were a number of forms of gambling legalised by the Nigerian government in the 90s and this changed perceptions of the activity and made it seem more acceptable to the public. These days, gambling is viewed more as a harmless leisure activity that a lot of different people engage in.
Gambling Laws in Nigeria
Gambling in Nigeria is governed and regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. This was legalized in 2005 and distinguishes between games of skill and games of chance. Essentially, it makes it so that gambling in Nigeria is legal. Some of the most common legal forms of gambling include the likes of the lottery, casinos and sports betting. There are a few specific games that are not allowed like roulette and dice games, but on the whole, if you want to play casino games in Nigeria then you are able to. It’s always worth checking the laws of where you live to make sure that what you do is legal.