Iyke Bede

Underage gambling remains a growing concern in Nigeria, with minors finding it alarmingly easy to access betting platforms. Despite regulatory measures, weaknesses in age verification systems and a lack of cooperation among gaming operators allow underage users to bypass restrictions.

Industry expert Francis Masade, Managing Director of Velex Advisory, sheds light on these loopholes, highlighting how online gaming platforms often fail to verify users at the point of registration and how operators’ unwillingness to collaborate worsens the problem.

“Some online gaming companies do their KYC, but from what I understand—and I stand to be corrected—anyone, be it 10 or 15 years old, can go onto a gaming platform, register, and start betting without being verified until they win,” said Masade. “This is the case with most platforms.”

He explains that while some platforms request identification, the verification process is often inadequate. Minors can easily bypass these checks by using an adult’s ID, ticking a box to claim they are of legal age, and continuing to play without any restrictions. The system only flags them when they attempt to withdraw winnings, by which time they may have already gambled for years.

“That’s where the problem lies. The verification isn’t done at the point of registration. They may ask for your ID, but a minor can just get hold of someone else’s ID—one that belongs to someone over 18—check the box claiming to be of legal age, and continue playing,” stated Masade.

He added, “Imagine a 10-year-old playing for the next five years without being verified. By the time they’re 16, they win a game, and maybe the winnings are just enough to trigger the verification process. So, you can see they’ve missed the first step. If the verification was done at registration, the minor wouldn’t have been able to go any further.”

Beyond weak verification measures, a bigger issue is the lack of collaboration among gaming operators. Masade notes that once a minor is identified and blocked on one platform, they can simply register on another. There is no unified system that ensures underage users flagged on one platform are also blocked on others.

“There’s no system where, once a minor is blocked on one platform, it triggers a universal reaction across all platforms. The Nigerian factor comes into play here, where operator A knows that if they block a minor, the minor will just move to operator B,” noted Masade. “So, why not take the minor in instead of letting them move to another operator? This lack of collaboration is a big issue.”

This lack of cooperation stems from the competitive nature of the industry, where operators fear losing potential revenue. Masade believes this attitude undermines efforts to promote responsible gaming.

“This is the kind of model Velex sells to its clients,” Masade said, detailing the role Velex Advisory plays in onboarding clients. “This is what we can help you do. We can help protect your platform, secure your clients, verify your clients, and assist you with all sorts of compliance matters.”

For him, the ideal solution would be a centralised database where any self-excluded or underage gambler is flagged across all platforms, preventing them from simply shifting to another operator.

“When someone self-excludes from one platform, it should trigger the same action across all platforms,” Masade explained. “If someone registers as a minor on one platform and is verified as such, that information should be sent out to other platforms.”

Masade points to stricter regulatory environments, such as those in the UK and Australia, where gambling operators are required to be transparent about the risks associated with betting. He notes that these countries enforce strict advertising regulations to prevent gambling from appearing too enticing.

With underage gambling on the rise, experts like Masade argue that without immediate regulatory intervention and stronger cooperation among operators, Nigeria risks allowing a new generation of young gamblers to slip through the cracks.

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