Hot SourceSunday Ehigiator
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s thriving gaming industry have raised objections to the proposed Central Gaming Bill currently before the Senate, warning that its passage could wipe out over 200,000 jobs, cripple indigenous operators, and hand control of the country’s gaming economy to foreign interests.
The bill, which had earlier passed the House of Representatives, seeks to centralise gaming regulation under the federal government and introduce a Remote Gaming Licence that would allow offshore companies to offer online gaming services nationwide.
In a statement signed by the Media Relations Officer, Gaming, Adetola Ladejobi, industry experts, state regulators, and economic analysts condemned the move as unconstitutional and economically disastrous.
They insisted that the bill, if passed, would not only violate the Supreme Court’s November 2024 judgment affirming that gaming regulation lies within the jurisdiction of state governments, but also devastate one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing non-oil sectors.
“Over the past decade, indigenous gaming brands such as Bet9ja, Baba Ijebu, BetKing, Winners Golden Chance, and others have built a robust industry that employs thousands of Nigerians directly and indirectly across all 36 states. The sector supports agents, cashiers, software developers, marketers, customer service providers, and small business owners; all contributing to local economies and paying state taxes.
“According to industry data, the ecosystem sustains more than 200,000 jobs and contributes billions of naira in taxes and levies to state governments annually.”
Stakeholders warn that these livelihoods would be threatened if foreign operators are granted nationwide access through the proposed Remote Gaming Licence, as they would operate virtually without physical presence, employ no local staff, and pay no taxes within Nigeria.
“This is not an investment; it’s pure economic extraction. Foreign companies will take money from Nigerian players online and repatriate the profits abroad, leaving our local operators, workers, and state governments with nothing.”
They also argued that the proposal contradicts the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises job creation and investment in productive sectors.
They said the bill would do the opposite, by discouraging local enterprise, draining state revenue, and creating dependency on foreign operators with no stake in Nigeria’s economy.
They pointed out that “in other federations like the United States, Canada, and Switzerland, gaming regulation remains decentralised, allowing sub-national governments to maintain sovereignty over the sector. Switzerland’s Gespa (Inter-Cantonal Gaming Authority), for example, coordinates cooperation among regional governments while respecting their autonomy, a model already mirrored by Nigeria’s Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN).
“The claim that federal control will modernise the gaming sector is both misleading and unnecessary. States already have the technological capacity to regulate online gaming through IP tracking and geolocation systems. There is no regulatory vacuum to fill; only constitutional boundaries to respect.”
If the Central Gaming Bill becomes law, experts warned, “Nigeria could lose one of the few private industries that have thrived without government subsidies. The ripple effect would include widespread job losses, reduced taxable income, and a steep decline in state-generated revenue.”
They urged the Senate to tread cautiously and reject the Bill, emphasising that modernisation should not come at the expense of sovereignty and livelihoods.
“What Nigeria needs is cooperative federalism, not centralisation. The Senate must protect our jobs, our constitution, and our economy. The gaming sector should remain under state control to keep investment and opportunity within our borders.”
