Online casinos have exploded all around the world and the industry is far from reaching its full potential. Whilst countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia have adopted gambling bills favouring online gambling just recently, Africa is slowly opening up to online casinos and sportsbooks as well. Players that are overage are allowed to participate in different forms of gambling activities.
On a global scale, the online casino industry has become one of the most lucrative industries in the world with the British Government recently emphasising the importance of the iGaming business for Treasury, whilst the Brits patiently await the publication of the draft of the new gambling bill. In Nigeria, gambling is also legal for players of 18 years and older. This conveniently concerns online gambling as well which is why more international operators are interested in entering the Nigerian casino industry.
International online casino news medium KiwiGambler foresees both opportunities and challenges for operators, affiliate businesses, and providers as the Nigerian market is still in the development stage and will need to prove itself in coming years.
Online Casinos Are Here To Take Over
For the first example of what would become a billion dollar online casino industry we need to go back to 1994. This was when the first casino website was launched, though not very successful at the time. Players were still reluctant to engage in online gambling activities, casino games were not realistic, and payment methods were not as waterproof as they are now. Only in the 21st century did players show large-scale interest in signing up at internet casinos, depositing money, and playing with their funds. Especially big in Europe thanks to widespread regulation, it is expected that Africa will start noticing the importance of online gambling as a mature industry as well. Some countries where players can bet on sports games and/or casino games are South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. One of the most popular international platforms about online casinos is KiwiGambler that promotes licensed casinos and shares the latest news and guides related to gambling. KiwiGambler has officially confirmed its interest in the latest developments in Nigeria.
The State of Gambling in Nigeria
Although not regulated as well as in other countries, betting is legal in Nigeria. Nigerians reportedly spend about 730 billion Naira on sports betting every year. The legal games of chance in Nigeria are limited to lottery, land based casino games, and sports betting. Popular casino games such as roulette, dice games, and non-skilled card games are illegal in the country. Opinions of gambling have changed in recent years. Some years ago, many people in Nigeria perceived gambling as sinful. However, things are beginning to change now. With a large portion of Nigerians being very religious, the new generation of Nigerians tends to be more liberal and open to placing bets online. Gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. One of their most important focuses is to reduce money laundering and illegal gambling in all states in Nigeria.
Shift To Mobile Play
With more and more Nigerians getting access to mobile phones and internet, online casinos have moved their games library and web design to a mobile first approach favouring users that visit their websites on mobile devices. In Nigeria, most people access their internet on smartphones which is why platforms such as KiwiGambler closely evaluate the mobile performances of the sites they promote. This trend has already led to a shift to mobile by online gambling operators that operate in other continents and now African players will once again show the same behaviour in their countries. The advantage of this move for Nigerian players is that especially European players have already paved the way for Africans when it comes to mobile optimisation. American gamblers tend to be another group that are less used to playing casino games on a mobile device.
No Room Yet For Live Dealer Games
Americans are also less familiar with live dealer games which have not yet gained the same popularity as in Europe. The markets in especially the US are known to be a lot less mature than in Europe which is why bettors are still focused on traditional casino games and sports betting rather than live dealer games. Live dealer games are operated by live, human dealers instead of computer based results giving players the real casino ambiance. Through a HD webcam connection players will be able to join casino tables after which the gameplay is brought to them from a live dealer casino studio. In order to get the ultimate experience, players will need a Wifi connection, a new generation smartphone, and fast internet. In Nigeria this would require some time before the market is ready to embrace live dealer games. Eventually, live dealers are expected to overtake RNG based games.
One of the main questions KiwiGambler asks itself is if or when live dealer studios will be hosted on the African continent. While games are globally available with live dealers that speak English, Spanish, French, Russian, and other big languages, the same is not yet true for native, African languages. Live dealers tend to have a caucasian appearance as well. When big African countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and the DRC show their markets have enough potential, live dealers from Africa may be appointed as game hosts giving players a more local look and feel. The same holds for implementing African languages. In order to reach levels that allow providers to consider moving their business to Africa, internet penetration, internet speed, and disposable income will need to rise.
Stronger Emphasis on Responsible Gaming
KiwiGambler also stresses the importance of responsible gambling policies across the continent. Although gambling is regulated in Nigeria, it is not well regulated, meaning that both operators and players do not yet receive the help and attention they need. In order to protect players, operators must be forced by a convincing law to pursue a vast responsible gambling policy. International brands that operate in other countries could apply bits and parts of their policy in Nigeria, although KiwiGambler believes that “every country requires a different approach as players from one country cannot be compared to those of another nation”. The main challenge is to protect gamblers that are prone to gambling addictions while local organisations will need to stay in close contact with the gambling regulator. This happens in most European countries with limits, temporary or permanent exclusions, and guidance by government owned bodies being part of the legalisation to adopt online gambling. If a licence holder does not comply with these regulations it will lose its licence.
Sports Betting Most Significant
Sports betting tends to be the most significant betting activity in all countries, independent of the continent. It is true that only partial regulation of online gambling in North America and Africa explains this as online casinos are not yet legalised to the same extent as sports betting. In order for an international operator, affiliate business, or online casino medium to reach the market in Africa, it will need to move its focus to the field of sports betting, rather than traditional table games like online roulette or blackjack. Today, Nigeria is home to more than 40 sports betting sites including international brands such as Betfair and Betway. These brands are found in some of the world’s biggest gambling nations.
Local brands include Bet9ja, 9jaPredict, and NairaBet which have a major challenge to overcome and keep the revenue within the borders of Nigeria. With a population of 230 million, there are very few countries that show numbers as impressive as Nigeria. This explains why international bookmakers have found their way to Nigeria and more names are expected to come. According to KiwiGambler, the arrival of foreign brands should not be considered as a threat at all, but as a welcome chance to enhance the service and products offered by local brands. Without competition from bookmakers as big as Betfair and Betway, the market would have probably not been half as developed as it is today.
Opportunities in Nigeria
With the legalisation of sports betting in new markets and potentially more iGaming products on the way, the market is only expected to grow in the coming years. Even in countries like the United States, sports betting is not yet legalised in all states which shows how advanced Nigeria is in comparison with some other nations. Most countries in Africa have not yet legalised sports betting and online casinos which puts Nigeria once again in the sport lights as one of the leading countries in the continent. For an online casino news platform such as KiwiGambler it is therefore highly interesting to add English speaking countries like Nigeria to their list of target markets. And hey, a population as big as 230 million and local regulation is all you need to become interested in Nigeria.
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