Ime Ekpon

Online gaming has over 1 billion players globally, and among this number are the Nigerians who
enjoy gaming as a top leisure activity. The Nigerian gaming industry is estimated to be worth
over $128 million by 2023.
To keep Nigerian gaming enthusiasts engaged, game developers constantly reinvent games to
offer refreshing and unique experiences to players, even on mobile. Mobile devices originally
hosted online games, as people used it then to kill time. But today, players have access to a
variety of games on their mobile phones.
Online games have quickly garnered attention and become rapidly popular in Nigeria. Nigerians
troop into online casino sites and other European gambling sites to bet on games.
In this article, we’ll do a deep dive into the Boom of Online gaming in Nigeria, as we understand
why online gaming is rising fast in the entertainment industry and why it’s a favorite.

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Why do Nigerans enjoy online gaming?
The global mobile gaming industry is thriving in Nigeria as it does around the world. Gaming
enthusiasts play mobile games for a number of other reasons, including to destress, pass time,
and accomplishment of completing a challenge.
The data found, suggests that mobile will top TV in terms of screen time, with gamers spending
6.5 hours weekly on gaming apps. It also indicated that 78% of players use the app daily. Most
participants admit to gaming to pass time.
Another clear advantage mobile gaming has over devices like TV or PCs is that it can be taken
everywhere. In Nigeria where 170 million people use mobile, based on their cellular
subscriptions, mobile gaming will eventually get its significant customer segment.

Popular Online Games Nigerians Play
The Nigerian gaming market is mostly dominated by millennials who form a demographic of
players, developers, designers, creators, and distributors who have contributed to the creation of
this multi-million dollar market in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s online gaming market is worth more than $41 million, with online gaming dominating
the bigger segment of this growing industry.
So, what online games are Nigerans playing?

Online BlackJack
Many Nigerians prefer to play Blackjack online, and thankfully the Grand Rush Online Casino
allows them to play this game from anywhere at any time.
This option aided the popularization of this game among Nigerians, as they can enjoy the
blackjack casino experience without overpaying at luxurious brick-and-mortar casinos.

Online Slots
Online slots appeal to Nigerians because they are easier to play than other table games and they
offer lots of entertainment. This game requires a minimal amount of steak, making them suitable
for beginners and experienced gamers too.
Nigerian gamers can find free slots on the internet where they can play without wagering with
money. Some popular online slots in Nigeria are Gonzo’s Quest, Jurassic Park, Twin Spin, White
King, the Invincible Man, Fire Joker and Mermaids Millions, etc.
Online slots are for Nigerians who love games of chance characterized by low budgets, high-
quality graphics, and high payout rates.

Dota 2
Dota 2 is one of Nigeria’s best-selling video games. In this multiplayer online arena game,
players control a “hero” with special abilities.
Players can join a team of 2-5 players and compete against other teams to occupy a base camp on
the map. Each squad must defend their base from the opposition.
Dota’s developers update this game regularly with more exciting features, placing it among
today’s best multiplayer arena video games.

Fortnite Battle Royale

Fortnite Battle Royale is another favorite amongst Nigerian gamers. It is a free online game that
features 100 players competing for the top position, and 3 million players can play
simultaneously at any time.
Battle Royale brings fresh and interesting elements, as players need to build walls and collect
elements to keep advancing. You could play this game solo or in a group.

League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the oldest games in the Market and another favorite for millions of
Nigerians, who enjoy this game for its mode scenes, graphics, and animations that rival its
competitors.
This game is popular in Nigeria, with a Nigerian team competing in the African League
Championship Series in 2020.

Factors Contributing To The Growth Of Online Gaming In Nigeria
The gaming industry in Nigeria is growing rapidly, with more people showing interest in mobile
games and esports. Additionally, the growing economy allows for disposable income for games
to fund things like video games.
But, what else is contributing to the growth of online gaming in Nigeria?

Access To Technology
The entry of technological infrastructure to Nigeria, preceded the buying of smartphones and
computers by Nigerians who have sustainable livelihoods. This in turn paved the way for the
gaming industry to thrive in the country.

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Online Multiplayer Games
Online gaming allows for the use of the Internet to stream video games, creating a space where
people can play with friends or users from outside Nigeria. This is what gives online multiplayer
games their popularity.

Gambling Regulations
Gambling is another popular form of gaming in Nigeria, and the recent legislating of this sector
offline and online, has allowed the industry to grow.

Although there are some regulations in place, they mostly affect providers. One of such
regulations is that Nigerian companies can’t establish online casinos, but offshore operators can
offer these services to Nigerian customers.

Sports Betting
Sports betting became a massive industry in Nigeria over the years, because it formed a core part
of the culture of a country that loves to celebrate sports.
Currently, there are over 6 million active sports bettors in Nigeria, actively contributing to a
market that generates up to $2 billion which will make up 10% of the country’s national budget
in 2020. Nigerians love to bet the most on football odds, then checking basketball results,
athletics competitions, and boxing matches.

Smartphone Gaming
73% of Nigerians have a smartphone, a demographic that has encouraged the growth of mobile
gaming in the country over the years. What makes smartphone games appealing to gamers is that
they are cheaper alternatives to console and computer games.
Most game apps are free to download and cost a few dollars in subscription, which means
gamers who aren’t buoyant can access them. Mobile phones are effectively changing the face of
gaming in Nigeria, to make it more accessible and convenient for everybody.

Cross-Platform Accessibility
Online casino games advanced the popularity of online gaming, and gamers can access them
from mobile phones and tablets, making iGaming popular in Nigeria.
Furthermore, game developers can express themselves better through casino games, allowing
them to come up with more immersive games. This is why gamers enjoy betting games on
online betting platforms like Betway, because they can access a wide range of games.
In addition to aesthetically appealing games, tech-savvy Nigerian gamers show more interest in
other factors like slot game’s Return To Player, as they prefer games that offer higher Return To
Player percentages.

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Rise of Competitive Gaming, PC, and Console

The growing eSports industry has made competitive gaming, PC, and Console more appealing.
eSports on the global gaming scene is an emerging industry, but it has already generated
$1billion in revenue, witho over 433 million gamers worldwide.
Nigerian innovators wish to make eSports a competitive form of gaming and as a spectator sport.
Stakeholders have already established the Nigerian Esports League as an official eSports League
Organization.

Nigerian iGaming Model
The expanding iGaming market also plays a major role in sustaining the Nigerian gaming
industry. Nigeria has the resources to recreate on its shores, the lucrative iGaming models in
Europe and some North American states.
The term iGaming covers online casino, poker and sports betting activities. As a technologically
innovative market it offers versatile gaming experiences, updates traditional roulette numbers to
suit a modern audience, and provides an immersive thrill of playing real money games like poker
or roulette.
The success of iGaming in Nigeria, precedes expansion into other tech markets like
cryptocurrency. This is characterized by play to earn gaming experiences that reward gamers
with crypto tokens.

Rising Popularity Of Online Gambling in Nigeria
The sustainability of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure and improvement over the years,
and ensuring better mobile and internet service for its populace is one of the things that has aided
the rise of online gambling in the country.
Accessibility to mobile phones has caused a widespread participation for amusement on the
Internet, including Internet gaming.
In Nigeria alone, UK operators have been privileged to experience success in marketing to
potential Nigerian online gamblers, as they continue to enjoy the patronage of the increasing
number of Nigerian gamers who register on online gambling accounts daily.

Will Online Gaming Be Relevant in The Future?

Since its prominence during the pandemic, online gaming has grown tremendously popular
among Nigerians too. The current numbers disclose that the popularity of mobile games and its
rapid growth, shows no sign of slowing down.
43% of Nigerians using the internet and the access and improvement of internet-enabled
gadgets, the online gaming industry won’t be losing relevance anytime soon.
Also, with the competition between local and international operators to attract more Nigerian
gamers to try online gaming and all of its new evolutions, this industry will be driven to the next
level.

In the UK, gambling is a prominent source of entertainment, in which sports betting is high
regarded. Sports Betting in the UK is historically significant and spans across centuries. In the
time it has existed till now, it has been regulated and almost restricted for decades, but recently
has its laws relaxed after betting activities were legalised in the Act of 1960.
To Britons, gambling makes itself accessible in form of bookmakers or sites that are regulated by
and follow the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Greyhounds and
Horse racing, and Football are part of the top sports that have gained popularity overtime.
The UK has opened up its market for bookmakers, the last decade witnessing a massive growth
in this industry. But what else goes on in the UK sports betting industry? This article answers all
those questions.

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General UK Betting Statistics
To understand Sports Betting in the UK, you first need to understand the figures and activities
surrounding it. These statistics for General UK betting statistics, combine findings on bettor
behavior and why people bet.

1. 47% of adult British citizens particpated in some form of gambling in the past month.
   ● The average Brit spends £2.60 on gambling weekly.
   ● Over 45% of people in the UK gamble monthly. 22% of gamblers bet more than twice
   weekly, almost a third did once a week. 30% gambled less than once weekly to once
   monthly, while under a sixth gamble less than once a month.
   ● Gambling is a popular pastime activity among Britons aged 35-55. Although the online
   gambling surge attracts adults aged 25-34.
   ● 24 million people currently gamble online in the UK – 50% of online bettors use their
   smartphones to access sports betting websites or use casino apps.
2. Men gamble more than women.
   ● Men have a higher tendency to particpate in gambling than women.
   ● 51% of UK males gamble, compared to 41% of the female population. 4 in 10 women in
   the UK actively gamble, with 20% gambling regularly twice a week.
   ● A survey in 2018 showed that the gambling participation rate for British males was 37%,
   and 28% among women.
3. The UK gambling industry generates a yearly revenue of £14 billion.
   ● Online casinos are the highest-grossing games of chance in the industry. Virtual casinos
   made £3,190 million in 2019, non-remote betting £2,812 million and remote betting
   £2,121 million.
   ● The National Lottery is the second highest-grossing sector of the industry, ticket sales
   generated £3.9 billion equivalent to a GGY of £1.6 billion.
   ● Gambling is tax-free in the United Kingdom, meaning that gamblers keep all their betting
   winnings.
4. The National Lottery is the most popular form of gambling in the UK.
   ● In 2021 30% of Britons participated in the National Lottery. 13% bet on other lotteries
   and 10% at scratchcards.
   ● Slot games are the most popular form of online gambling at 69%, roulette at 14%, and
   black jack at 6%.
   ● 7% of British citizens bet on sports in the past year.
   ● Football is the most popular sport bets on in the UK, citizens spent £786 million on
   football betting making up 40% of all sports bets.
   ● Horse racing is the second most popular sport bet on in the UK. 3.8% of gamblers bet on
   horse races with each-way bets.
5. Online gambling is legal and is regulated by the UK Gambling Comission.

● The UK is a leading player in online gambling globally, accounting for 15% of Europe’s
online gambling. It has 33.6 million registered accounts with licenced gamblers active.
● 35% of sports bettors believe they can earn profit from betting. 31% men feel they make
more profits than women 24% in betting.
● The average UK bettor has three online accounts. 44% have one account, but compulsive
gamblers own multiple accounts with various betting platforms.
● Fewer than 3% of gamblers earn a living from gambling.
Source: Don’t Disappoint Me & Review 42.

Top Sports Preferred By British Bettors
In the UK gambling scene, the sports betting industry dominates, and football is the most popular
option for UK gamblers.
However, this globally beloved sports isn’t the only thing Britions bet on. Below are other top
sports preferred by British Bettors.
Football
Football is the national sport in the UK and has a high percentage of bettors, making it most
gambled on sport. According to the UK Gambling commission, 5% of British people bet at least
once on this sport in the last month, and the total amount wagered was £11.4 billion – with 90%
of it online.
The most prominent choice is the Premier League, but the FA Cup and UEFA Champions
League final pulls a big draw from bettors too. So does the FIFA World CUp and UEFA Euro
Championship. The British bet £1.5bn on the previous World Cup.

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Horse Race
Over the year, more money was wagered on horse racing than football, £13.4bn to be exact.
Online gambling made up most of the revenue – 68% bet online, 30% on bookies, and 1% on the
races.
3.3% of the UK population bet at least once on horse racing in the last month, a number a little
lower than football.

But this number can’t be trusted because most of those bets were only on the biggest horse racing
events of the year. 1/3 of British adults bet a total of £100m on the Grand National in 2021,
which is UK’s most famous horse racing event. Followed by Cheltenham Festival with £500m
total wagers.

Tennis
Around £1.9bn is wagered on Tennis yearly, fueled by 0.2% of the UK adults who placed on
this sport in the past months.
Wimbledon is a favourite tennis tournament for British people to bet on, placing up to £100,000
wagers worth early in matches, and increasing it in the later rounds and final.

Greyhound Racing
Greyhound Racing only gets less than 1% bets of Brits, but it has an impressive revenue of
£1.7bn. 40% of these bets were online while the others were on Bookmakers or on track.
The English Greyhound Derby is the biggest dog racing event and has a total prize fund of
£175,000.

Cricket
In 2019, £760m was gambled on Cricket in the UK, through the internet, and more was spent on
Bookies. At least £800k is gambled on cricket yearly.
Ashes is the biggest Cricket event, but in terms of short-form cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup
is the most-watched event, while the T20 World Cup is the second-most watched game.

Golf
While there are no records of the amount spent on informal betting yearly across Britain, it can
be said that £218m was wagered on online bookmakers.
The biggest Golf events are the Majors – the Masters, PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the
British Open and the Ryder Cup which hosts Europe’s take on the USA in a match play format.

eSports

During the Coronavirus, virtual sports wasn’t hurt like other sports betting sectors, instead it
grew and so did its bets. Online betting companies witnessed a growth from eSports, from £50k
in March 2019 – £1.5m in March 2020, an increase of nearly 3000%.
eSports betting profits peaked at £4.6m in April 2020, before stabilising back to £1m -£2m
monthly since then.
The Electronics Sports League, League of Legends Championship Series, and FIFAe World Cup
are the massive eSports competitions that got lots of wagers.

American Sports
American sports like American football, basketball and baseball are becoming more popular
amongst UK bettors.
The NFL is favoured by British sports fans and bettors, especially since it holds a game in
London yearly. The Superbowl is the biggest event, accepting bets from 1/5th of British bettors
who bet on the 2021 match between the Bucaneers and the Chiefs.

Betting Regulations In The UK
Online betting has made sports betting easier and quicker in the UK, where people previously
relied on telegram service or the Royal Mail to manage their bets. With the access providers now
have to a wide and varied market, regulations are necessary to keep up with this changing
industry.
Regulations preserve the betting culture and ensure that bettors are protected from dishonest sites
and providers. Understanding them, ensure that you can track down reliable and fair sports
betting providers to bet with.
These are some betting regulations in the UK to know.

Licensing
The UK Gambling Commission is the official body charged with ensuring that all gambling
aspects in the UK are operating above board, and fairly for casinos, providers, and players too.
This commission enforces certain rules for UK operators, which are all designed to assure that
players don’t suffer unfair or impossible standards.

The laws of the Commission are listed in the Gambling Act 2005, and casinos or sports betting
providers can only earn a license to operate within the country by complying with them.
A licensed site will display their badge for you to see, or you could check the Government’s
public register to see if they are listed.

UK Gaming Sites Licensing Procedure
Remote gaming companies must register under the Gambling Licensing and Advertising Act of
2014 to obtain proper licensing for operating in the UK.
Operators need separate licensing for every gambling segment offered to players. Failure to
follow these regulations, violate the Act and attract criminal penalities. Media outlets too can’t
advertise for such companies.
The UK’s tax of 15% and the Act, has caused some major players to exit the UK market, while
those who stayed adjusted their pricing to cover the tax rate.

Providers
Providers are bound by the list of regulations from the Gambling Act 2005. One of such laws is
ensuring equal chances to everyone involved in a game – house and players. And to take and
process bets.
Compliance by gambling establishment, depend on their nature. Physical establishments are
subject to regular checks, Slot machines must rely on a Random Number Generator to ensure
fairness and stop providers from rigging games. Digital casinos and sports betting sites are
checked for the mechanics behind the site.

Players
Few UK betting regulations curb players ability to join sports betting activities, but majority
check that players follow fair play.
Players can be investigated for using sports gambling or any other gambling activities to mask
crimes like money laundering. The Commission is always watching, so don’t do anything that’ll
suggest illegal activity.

Also, any person of position in a particular sport that grants bettors access to information other
bettors don’t have, will face a number of regulations.

Endorsements and Advertisements
Sports gambling is a regular topic of advertisement in TVs and radios. This created a lot of
controversy, because people who were below the gambling age limit were exposed to the ADs.
To fix this, the government stepped up to control the situation, although there was backlash
regarding this same issue.

Laws Regarding Sports Betting Industry
The Laws which govern the gaming community, cover the betting industry too. Land-based
sportsbook options have existed for generations in the UK. After these operators where
legitimised in 1960, these sportsbook shops led the gambling scenes.
Although brick and mortar sportsbook brand dominated and monopolised the industry, few
online sportsbooks options have recently topped the charts.
The government passed a law adding extra 15% imposed tax on offshore-based local
bookmakers, and instead of backlash, they remained updated, giving the UK a stand as one of the
most competent jurisdictions in sports betting.

Safety of UK Bettors
Thanks to the safety measures enforced by the government and influence of reputable gaming
programs, UK-based bettors enjoy safe gambling practices, weak bettors are protected, and
under-aged sports betting is illegal.
On the other hand, the United Kingdom Gambling Comission controls the function of all online
or offline operators, making it one of the world’s safest jurisdictions.
The London Stock Exchange features most online sportsbooks as tradable commodities.
Numerous schemes and policies – GamStop, GamBan, GamCare, etc are created to assist and ban
problematic gamblers from gambling.