Enugu State Overhauls Gaming Regulation, Signalling a New Phase for Nigeria’s iGaming Industry
The Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission Law 2025, signed into law by Governor Peter Mbah, marks the state’s most comprehensive regulatory overhaul in more than two decades. The law took effect on January 1, 2026, repealing the former Gaming Commission Law, Cap 86 of the Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004.
Nigeria’s gambling sector has been expanding faster than the rules governing it. Online betting penetration continues to deepen, mobile payments have normalised wagering across income groups, and sports betting is increasingly embedded in everyday digital life. International operators are looking beyond Lagos for scalable growth, while domestic brands are competing aggressively for market share.
At its core, the law modernises how gaming is licensed, supervised, and enforced within the state, while aligning Enugu more closely with emerging national and international regulatory norms. Just as importantly, it establishes a clearer institutional architecture for oversight through the officially establishing the Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission, with statutory powers covering licensing, enforcement, and consumer protection.
Historically, gaming regulation at the state level in Nigeria has suffered from outdated statutes, overlapping authorities, and weak enforcement mechanisms. Many laws were drafted at a time when gambling largely meant paper tickets, physical lottery draws, and walk-in betting shops. Mobile betting, digital wallets, remote servers, and algorithm-driven platforms were not part of the regulatory imagination.
The revised Enugu framework acknowledges this reality. It expands the legal scope of regulated gaming to cover lotteries, sports betting, casinos, and online platforms, explicitly bringing technology-driven and remote gaming activities within state jurisdiction. According to Prince Arinze Arum, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission, the reform reflects a necessary recalibration. “This law responds to how gaming is actually being conducted today, not how it was conducted twenty years ago,” Arum said, noting that outdated definitions had made effective supervision “nearly impossible.”
One of the most consequential shifts in the new framework is its treatment of licensing. The law positions licensing as the primary gatekeeping mechanism for market entry and continued operation. Under the revised regime, operators face clearer eligibility requirements, structured licence categories, and ongoing compliance obligations. Existing operators are required to reapply or regularise their status under the new law. “Licensing is no longer a one-time exercise,” Arum said. “It is an ongoing relationship built on compliance, transparency, and accountability.”
The law also strengthens the authority of the regulator to investigate, sanction, and shut down non-compliant operators. The framework creates a cadre of gaming inspectors with statutory powers to conduct unannounced inspections, access operational records, seize illegal gaming equipment, and seal unlicensed premises. Inspectors may also work with law-enforcement agencies where criminal breaches are suspected. “These inspectors will not be passive observers,” Arum said. “They will enforce compliance across casinos, betting shops, and online platforms to eliminate illegal operations and protect players.”
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Perhaps the most telling shift in the revised law is its treatment of responsible gaming. While earlier frameworks often referenced player protection in broad terms, the 2025 law embeds responsible-gaming obligations directly into licensing conditions. Operators must provide self-exclusion options, implement deposit limits and time-out periods, disclose game risks and odds transparently, and enforce strict measures against underage gambling. These are no longer voluntary initiatives but enforceable regulatory requirements.
There is no escaping the fiscal motivation behind gaming reform. However, Enugu’s law goes beyond revenue collection by formalising how gaming proceeds are used. A key innovation is the creation of the Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission Charitable Trust Fund. Under the law, 50% of all unclaimed winnings, along with a dedicated Good Cause Levy charged on licensed operators, are chanelled into the fund. The proceeds are earmarked for social development in the state. “The industry will now contribute directly and visibly to the common good,” Arum said. “A portion of all industry revenue, including 50% of unclaimed winnings and the Good Cause Levy, will be chanelled into public projects that benefit citizens across sectors.”
