Is Online Betting Legal in Nigeria? State Rules After the 2024 Supreme Court Ruling

Updated October 2026 · By the BetNaijaHub team

Short answer: betting is legal in Nigeria when it's run by an operator licensed by the right authority. Offshore sites sit in a grey area. Let me break down what that means for you.

The 2024 Supreme Court judgment

On 22 November 2024, in suit SC/1/2008 (Attorney General of Lagos State and others v. Attorney General of the Federation), a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously held that the National Assembly has no power to make laws on lotteries and games of chance for the states. The National Lottery Act 2005 now applies only in the Federal Capital Territory. Each state's House of Assembly makes the rules for its own territory.

Who regulates where

• Lagos: the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) is the sole regulator for lotteries and gaming in the state.
• FCT (Abuja): the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) continues under the 2005 Act.
• Other states: each state board or law applies; check the state government's site.

Where offshore sites stand

Cloudbet is licensed in Curaçao. BetUS, VegasAces and SlotsParadise are also offshore. None of them is licensed by a Nigerian state regulator. We are not aware of any Nigerian law that makes it a crime for an individual to place a bet with an offshore site, but you also get none of the protection a local licence gives (complaints to a Nigerian regulator, local dispute resolution). Payment channels can also block gambling transactions, which is why crypto is the usual route.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you need certainty, speak to a Nigerian lawyer.

Age

All the sites we cover are strictly 18+. Never let a minor use your account.