• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Sports Betting On The Rise In Nigeria – Expert

by Our Correspondent
3 years ago
in News
Photo by: Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma'aji on Unsplash

Photo by: Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma'aji on Unsplash

Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

In 2020, it was reported that around 60 million Nigerians were actively involved in sports betting. The days of stigmatisation surrounding betting are long gone, and rather than being perceived as a vice, it is more commonly accepted as a pastime in this West African country.

Advertisement

Generating approximately N730 billion annually, the industry of sports betting is certainly lucrative and continues to be on the up.

Gambling has been in existence in Nigeria for a very long time, since the British Empire introduced European sports and gambling in the country’s colonial years. Laws surrounding gambling in Nigeria state that sports betting, alongside land-based casinos and the lottery, are all legal. However, roulette, diced games, and non-skilled card games are illegal. Online gambling is a grey area as it isn’t mentioned in the law, and there is no restriction for the people to reach local or foreign online gambling sites.

Sports betting itself was introduced into the country in 2009, and it took off. Attracting online betting sites like Betway, which is one of the most popular and trusted online betting sites in Europe and Africa, only accelerated its growth.

Accessibility and convenience are key to drawing in the crowds, and with the breakthrough in technology and the developments of internet and online payment systems, the popularity of sports betting in Nigeria further grew. Being able to transfer money easily and quickly to betting sites from a mobile device with no location dependency means there’s no limit to who sports betting can reach.

RELATED

Professor Dambatta Emerges New Vice Chancellor Of Bayero Varsity Kano

Professor Dambatta Emerges New Vice Chancellor Of Bayero Varsity Kano

3 hours ago
Wike

No Land Allocated To Wike’s Children, FCTA Insists

4 hours ago

The immense popularity of football in Nigeria also plays a contributory role in the growth of sports betting, as many Nigerian athletes play for a variety of world-class teams across not only Africa, but throughout Europe too. Passion and patriotism have led many Nigerians to show their support for their teams through placing a bet, as well as making the games more exciting to watch.

While the enthusiasm and buzz around the top African and European leagues have made sports betting for Nigerians more pronounced, it is believed that the industry may have heavily profited from an economic slump. Poverty and unemployment, especially among the youth, are major players in taking sports betting to new heights.

In an estimated population of 200 million, it is reported that 87.5 million are living in extreme poverty. You then have staggering figures which show that 65% of Nigerians are below the age of 35, and the youth unemployment rate is around 40%. Put all these figures together, and it’s no surprise that there is a nexus between sports betting and unemployment.

For many youngsters in Nigeria, sports betting is seen as a way to make money, and for those living in poverty, it’s a fast-track way of making some income. While it is seen as an opportunity to win big, it is also a distraction from the idleness and boredom that unemployment brings.

Many young people have seen their lives change for the better through sports betting, and this can be infectious. Once positive and favourable word spreads, it reinforces the belief that betting is a good risk to take. While the unemployed youth may make up some of these figures, it isn’t uncommon to see employed Nigerians, or people from all walks of life, take up betting as a legitimate source of extra income.

Being such a major industry in Nigeria, sports betting contributes to the country’s limited finances. Taxes from it are used to support social services, like the training of local athletes and enhancing their stature in world-wide leagues and competitions. While this is a positive, there’s a fine line between government funds collected and government regulations in place to protect its people.

Government regulators are encouraging betting companies to increase campaigns to persuade people to bet only with disposable income, and to bet responsibly. But while many agree it is a delicate balance between benefits and societal risk, as sports betting continues to flourish, this topic needs to be addressed more to ensure an adequate protection of vulnerable groups.


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

BREAKING NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars from the comfort of their homes with Ultra-Premium domains, acquire them for as low as $1700 and profit as much as $25,000. Click here to learn how you can earn US Dollars consistently.


SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Suspect To Face Justice Over Murder Of Nigerian In Italy – Federal Govt

Next Post

Alleged Blasphemy: Tambuwal Receives Investigative C’tee’s Report

Our Correspondent

Our Correspondent

You May Like

Professor Dambatta Emerges New Vice Chancellor Of Bayero Varsity Kano
News

Professor Dambatta Emerges New Vice Chancellor Of Bayero Varsity Kano

2025/07/01
Wike
News

No Land Allocated To Wike’s Children, FCTA Insists

2025/07/01
Nigeria
News

Federal Gov’t Approves N65bn Disbursement To Health Facilities

2025/07/01
BREAKING: Angry Senators In Stormy Session, Debate Ningi’s 2024 Budget Padding Claim
News

Dantata: Senate Postpones North-West Constitution Review Public Hearing

2025/07/01
PICTORIAL: Late Businessman Aminu Dantata Buried In Saudi Arabia
News

PICTORIAL: Late Businessman Aminu Dantata Buried In Saudi Arabia

2025/07/01
Tonya Lawani Joins Dangote Group’s NASCON Board As Independent Director
Business

Tonya Lawani Joins Dangote Group’s NASCON Board As Independent Director

2025/07/01
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

From Extraction To Enablement

Professor Dambatta Emerges New Vice Chancellor Of Bayero Varsity Kano

No Land Allocated To Wike’s Children, FCTA Insists

Federal Gov’t Approves N65bn Disbursement To Health Facilities

Dantata: Senate Postpones North-West Constitution Review Public Hearing

PICTORIAL: Late Businessman Aminu Dantata Buried In Saudi Arabia

Tonya Lawani Joins Dangote Group’s NASCON Board As Independent Director

‘Buhari Left Office Broke But With Integrity Intact’, Says Spokesman Garba Shehu

YPP Elects Madaki, 10 Other Flagbearers For 2026 AMAC Chairmanship, Councillorship Polls

JUST-IN: Atiku, Mark, Lamido, Others In Closed-door Meeting

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.