Nigerian Gambling Laws

Gambling in Nigeria

Gambling in Nigeria is legal, but only for casinos and the country’s online lottery. Any other form of gambling is forbidden. But there are a number of illegal gambling operations in the country, from slot machines to underground casinos and illegal lotteries. Before you make a wager, be sure that you’re dealing with a licensed and legal gaming establishment.

Casinos in Nigeria

Nigeria only has two casinos. They are:

NICON Hilton Abuja

(1 Aguiya Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Abuja Capital Territory, Nigeria) The Nicon Hilton Abuja is open daily from 9pm until 3am, this casino has 40 gaming machines and nine table games (blackjack and roulette). Four restaurants are also on the property, as well as a 670-room hotel. You can call +234 9 41 31 81 1 for more information.

The Nicon Hilton Abuja is the first and larger of Nigeria’s casinos. It is located in the center of the capital city’s business district, and the adjoining hotel is known as the city’s finest.

Le Meridien Eko Hotel & Casino

(Victoria Island, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria) The Le Meridien Eko Hotels & Casino is open daily from 10am until 6am, this casino has 17 table and poker games (blackjack, poker and roulette). A 605-room hotel is also located on the premises. For more information, call +234 1 26 24 60 0.

The Le Meridien Eko Hotel & Casino is English speaking and has a casual dress code. It is located 20 miles from the nearest airport. The Nigerian Naira is the accepted form of currency.

Lottery in Nigeria

In April of 2004, Nigeria’s first online lottery was established. The actual game, however, wasn’t launched until 2005. 1,200 retail lottery terminals are available in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Aba, Benin, Enugu, Ibadan and Onitsha. Drawings are held every Saturday via a live television broadcast.

You must be 18 years or older to participate in the Nigerian lottery. Proceeds from the lottery go towards developing local sports clubs, social activities, education and healthcare.

Facts About Nigeria

Officially known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria, this country is a federal constitutional republic made up of 36 states and one Federal Capital Territory. Located in West Africa, Nigeria shares a border with Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. With a population of over 140 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the eighth most populated in the world. The capital city is Abuja. Nigeria is about twice the size of the state of California.

There are also six cities with a population of over one-million people:

• Lagos
• Kano
• Ibadan
• Kaduna
• Port Harcourt
• Benin City

Lagos holds the distinction of being the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa, with a population of over 10 million people in its urban area.

The Nigerian Naira is the most accepted form of currency.

Petroleum makes up a large part of the Nigerian economy, but 60 percent of Nigerians are employed in the field of agriculture. As only half of the population has access to clean water and sanitation, the life expectancy for residents of Nigeria is only 47 years.

68 percent of the population is literate. The official language of the country is English.

Football (soccer) is Nigeria’s national sport.

Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria. In the south, homosexual sex is punishable by imprisonment, while the Muslim north reserves the right to impose a death sentence for such an offense.

The Nigerian Scam

Known as the “Nigerian Scam” and “419,” this advance fee fraud is a form of organized crime which is often associated with Nigeria. This scam takes the form of an email, informing the potential victim that they have won the lottery or some other large prize. To obtain their winnings, all they have to do is send ahead a sum of money to cover things like transaction fees. Needless to say, the victim does not receive their prize money, and the cash advance is never seen again.

The problem became so widespread that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was created in 2003 to combat the crime. Since that time, a number of “419” masterminds have been arrested, and some of the stolen money has even been returned.

To guard yourself from such fraud, a good rule of thumb is to simply delete emails which claim to give you millions of dollars for almost nothing. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true…

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