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A group of Nigerian state gambling regulators has agreed on a unified licensing process across member states.
The Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN) says its members agreed to a new Universal Reciprocity Certificate (URC) for online sports betting, online casino, public online lotteries and prize competitions, on May 7.
FSGRN chair and CEO of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), Bashir Are, said Nigeria is “creating a level playing field, upholding constitutional order and enabling a more predictable operating environment for responsible gaming operators with utmost respect for the autonomy of respective states enshrined in the constitution.”
A universal reciprocity license regime has been developed by Deloitte to monitor licensees, and “reduce bureaucratic hurdles while ensuring compliance with global best practices and standards,” Are said last December.
A spokesperson for the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers (ANB) said it is still engaging with the FSGRN to understand the details of the URC, which at the time of writing are not publicly available.
“The outcome of the engagement will be known to our members,” the ANB told Vixio GamblingCompliance.
Vixio GamblingCompliance also asked several state gambling regulators how this would impact local licensing.
The Ekiti State Lotteries and Gaming Commission (EKSLGC) said the FSGRN “is a newly constituted regulatory body still in process".
The EKSLGC added that it is a "duly constituted regulatory body that is charged with the responsibility of regulating gaming activities within the state; we have our licence, which we issue to the operators of gaming activities within the state.”
States' Rights To Regulate Gambling Under Threat?
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s House of Representatives has quickly progressed the Central Gaming Bill, which passed its second reading in February this year.
The bill essentially looks to counter the landmark Supreme Court ruling from last year that nullified the National Lottery Act, granting states the right to regulate gambling in their jurisdiction.
The bill would establish a Central Gaming Commission, replacing the now-defunct National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), which would oversee all online gambling in the country.
It would also introduce a host of other changes, including a harmonised national gambling framework for all forms of online gambling and introduce certificates for online gambling providers as well as a certification regime for technical manufacturers, suppliers and vendors.
The next few months will have to bring much-needed clarity to the gambling market landscape in Nigeria as licensees are eager to understand how these changes impact them.
