Nigeria is one of the most populated countries in Africa, and even though it is now democratic, there are still huge differences in wealth and opportunity between the different regions. There are also a lot of wealthy individuals who enjoyed the chance to get their money out of the country during the height of the Ebola outbreak in 2015. This meant there was plenty of opportunity for betting companies to flourish, and they did not disappoint, with several coming up with innovative ways for people to place bets and manage their finances.
Nigerian Bookies
One of the first and most prominent companies to emerge was nigerianbookmakers.com, which was founded in 2007 and is now one of the biggest and most well-known betting firms in the country. They offer a wide variety of games, including casino games, poker, and sports betting, and their main office is in London, UK, which is a testament to their global reach. They also have many staff in different locations, including Nigeria, so they can provide customers with the best possible experience wherever they are in the world. nigerianbookmakers give their customers the ability to access information and make deposits and withdrawals easily and securely, and this all-round convenience has made them an institution for many Nigerians who want to bet or just stay in touch with the latest Sports events and games.
International Bookies
Betting companies from other countries have also begun to emerge, seeking to take advantage of the growing popularity of betting in Nigeria and expand their presence in what is already one of the world’s most lucrative markets. One of the biggest and most established of these international betting companies is 888 Holdings, which is based in Gibraltar and has extensive facilities there. They also have operations in London and Malta, making them fully legal and regulated in all three locations. Their betting business was originally started in Malta in 2001 and then expanded to London in 2003, where they continued to grow and established themselves as one of the biggest and most popular companies in the UK. In late 2017, they acquired a majority shareholding in Golden Nugget, which operates multiple sites in the UK and worldwide, and brought their total number of locations to 21.
Another big player in the international betting market is Paddy Power Betting, which is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and is one of Europe’s biggest and most well-known bookmakers. Their business was started in Ireland in 1948, where they immediately saw the potential for sports betting and gaming, and they have continued to grow and develop ever since. In 2018, they were valued at around 7.8 billion Euros, making them one of Ireland’s biggest companies. Paddy Power Betting offer a variety of sports, including football, tennis, and golf, as well as racing services and casino games, and they have locations all over the world, including the UK, Malta, and Singapore, which is their biggest site by far.
Mobile Betting
Nowadays, many people access the Internet via mobile phones or tablets, so it’s only natural that the industry would follow suit and provide these devices with applications to access their services. This is where mobile betting companies come in, and they have also emerged as a strong contender in the Nigerian market. One of the most prominent companies is Unibet, which is officially licensed and regulated by the Isle of Man government and is also a certified B-Corp. They operate in 23 countries around the world, and their headquarters are in London, UK, where they have been serving customers since 2002. They provide a secure and convenient way to place bets and manage your finances from anywhere, and their innovative product range includes not only traditional sports betting but also games like blackjack and roulette, all of which are usually found in traditional brick and mortar establishments. They also have a partnership with the world’s biggest social media platform, LinkedIn, so you can access all the latest news and information about companies, careers, and Jobs via their website.
Another app-based sports betting company is 888Sport, which is associated with the 888 group of companies and is also licensed and regulated by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta. They also have offices in London and Amsterdam, and their platforms offer a simple and secure way for customers to place bets on their favorite sports teams and events, using their credit cards or PayPal. All of 888Sport’s income is generated from wagers, with no involvement of any kind from the government or any other organization. They guarantee safe and fair play and aim to provide good customer service at all times. If you’re looking for an app-based alternative to nigerianbookmakers.com or Paddy Power Betting, you can’t go wrong with these brands.
Regulated Bookmakers
As we’ve established, there are a variety of unregulated betting companies operating in Nigeria. However, it’s important to note that this is also a highly regulated industry. One of the main regulators is the Sports Integrity Authority (SIA), established in 2016 and previously known as Nigerian Football Integrity Board (NFIB). Their primary function is to ensure that all matches and events are correctly attributed and that there is no collusion between the match officials and the promoters. In March 2018, they seized assets worth over 5.5 million Euros belonging to a company that was found to be involved in match fixing.
The SIA also oversees all the football leagues, competitions, and official events in Nigeria, including FIFA-recognized tournaments such as the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. This allows them to ensure that betting companies adhere to the highest standards of responsibility and accountability, as well as combat match fixing and other forms of illegal activity. They can fine or revoke a company’s license if they find evidence of foul play – this may result in the cancellation of events and the disqualification of team results.
Evolving Market
The sports betting market in Nigeria is still in its infancy, with just over a million people participating each month. Despite this, the industry is growing at an incredible rate and looks set to continue developing over the next few years. The UK’s Department of Culture, Media, and Sport estimated that in 2014 there were 4.75 million adults in the UK aged 16 and above who participated in competitive gaming, with 411,000 of those people being regular participants. This figure is expected to rise to 7.9 million in 2018 and 12.4 million by next year’s World Cup in Russia.
It would be a missed opportunity if sports betting and gaming don’t emerge as significant industries in Nigeria and around the world. Not only do these forms of gaming offer people the chance to place bets and win big, they also contribute significantly to charitable causes and are a valuable source of income for governments who regulate and tax them properly. The future of sports betting and gaming looks very positive indeed.