The Year the Rules Changed: Nigeria’s Gaming Industry in 2025

Few years have reshaped Nigeria’s gaming industry as decisively as 2025, a year marked by constitutional affirmation, regulatory progress, heightened responsible gaming advocacy, and stronger stakeholder alignment,  writes  Nseobong Okon-Ekong

Arguably, the most consequential development was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s refusal to assent to the Central Gaming Bill passed by the National Assembly. The decision brought a definitive close to a protracted debate and litigation that had spanned nearly two decades. In a clear and public statement, President Tinubu announced that he would not sign the bill into law, citing his commitment as a constitutional democrat.

The Central Gaming Bill sought to centralise regulatory authority over gaming and lottery activities under federal oversight. However, in November 2024, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that matters relating to lotteries and gaming fall within the legislative competence of the states. Aligning himself with both the Constitution and the apex court’s judgment, President Tinubu chose to respect the rule of law—an action widely seen as reinforcing Nigeria’s federal structure.

Beyond constitutional milestones, 2025 also witnessed renewed efforts to recognise and celebrate industry stakeholders. The Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board unveiled a refreshed appreciation format, bringing together regulators, operators, innovators, and partners in Ibadan for an evening that transcended mere ceremony. A week earlier, the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) had hosted its own celebration of industry leaders and enablers—an event designed to spotlight excellence, responsibility, and innovation across Nigeria’s dynamic gaming landscape.

Delivering a compelling address at the Lagos event, Mr. Bashir Are, Chief Executive Officer of the LSLGA, underscored the importance of collaboration.

“Tonight is about partnership and progress,” he said, emphasising the need to protect players, support legitimate businesses, and keep Lagos at the forefront of responsible gaming in Africa.

The Nigerian betting industry also marked a cultural milestone with the release of its first documentary film, Behind the Bet. The film presents gripping, real-life stories of Nigerians grappling with gambling addiction, shining a light on one of the country’s least discussed social challenges—a quiet but growing epidemic. Produced by Angela Belederemo and Seun Abimbola and directed by Jimi Ojikutu, from a script co-written with Asemota Ize-Iyamu, the documentary stands as a powerful human-interest narrative with strong social impact.

On many fronts, 2025 proved to be a watershed year for Nigeria’s gaming industry—one defined by constitutional clarity, regulatory maturation, responsible gaming advocacy, and growing stakeholder collaboration.

On the international stage, perhaps Nigeria’s most significant achievement in 2025 was its exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

This milestone reflected the success of reforms implemented by government agencies and gaming operators to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illicit financial activities. More importantly, it signalled that Nigeria’s compliance efforts went beyond box-ticking and earned global recognition.

Domestically, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), in collaboration with Azare Consulting Limited, engaged gaming operators through a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the registration of Technology Transfer Agreements (TTAs). The initiative addressed concerns about foreign exchange outflows arising from payments to overseas technology service providers and highlighted the need for stronger local compliance and capacity-building.

The Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN) also gained increased visibility in 2025, intensifying its educational engagements with industry stakeholders while pushing for broader membership. The federation sought understanding and buy-in from the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers (ANB), the Licensed Lottery Operators Forum, and casino operators on its proposals for an 11 per cent flat tax on gross gaming revenue for good causes, alongside a ₦100 million annual licence fee. Through constitutional advocacy, unified licensing frameworks, data security initiatives, and active legal engagement, the FSGRN continued to position itself at the forefront of reshaping Nigeria’s gaming landscape.

The year further stood out for its heightened focus on responsible gaming and addiction prevention.

The Fisayo Oke-led Gamble Alert spearheaded a series of landmark interventions, including a first-of-its-kind conference, workshop, and awards ceremony. Honourees ranged from Ladipo Abiose, founder of the problem-gambling non-profit GamblePause, who established a rehabilitation centre, to Gabriel Akpabio of GambleAwareNG, whose commitment and energy have helped advance the cause.

Complementing these efforts was BetPawa’s annual Responsible Gaming training for customer service personnel across Africa. The impactful programme was championed by Olabimpe Akingba, BetPawa’s Responsible Gaming lead, with support from Country Manager Ezekiel Omo. Training sessions were facilitated by professionals from Tranquil and Quest, a rehabilitation services company offering a comprehensive range of support services.

In a landmark regulatory innovation, the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority introduced SafePlay, a centralised, state-mandated self-exclusion system. SafePlay allows individuals to voluntarily exclude themselves from all licensed gaming platforms in Lagos for periods ranging from a few months to permanent bans. The system was developed and is managed by Safegaming Technologies for the LSLGA. The company was founded by Mr. Kayode Lawal, who also serves as its Chief Executive Officer.

Industry dialogue reached another high point at the 2025 Enugu Gaming Conference, held at the International Conference Centre in Enugu.

Under the theme ‘From Unification to Diversification – Shaping Nigeria’s Gaming Future’, the conference brought together a powerful coalition of regulators, operators, technologists, activists, entrepreneurs, and investors. The second edition of the conference focused on the shifting regulatory architecture, as Nigeria increasingly transitions from a centralised model to a decentralised reality where sub-national regulators play a defining role.

The year closed on a high note for esports and gaming entertainment with the climax of the 2025 10N8E Free Fire Deca Cup. Following a month-long online qualification process, the tournament culminated in the Lagos LAN finals, where 12 top teams competed fiercely in the signature Battle Royale mode.

“We made the registration open, which meant we didn’t limit the number of teams, and we ended up with 236 teams officially,” said Adebayo Onigbanjo, Chief Executive Officer of 10N8E. “That number is significant when you consider there are four players per team.”

Taken together, these developments firmly establish 2025 as a defining year—one that reshaped Nigeria’s gaming industry through constitutional clarity, responsible innovation, and an unmistakable shift toward sustainable growth.