Cross River, Nigeria, cracks down on illegal betting with new law
The Cross River State is refining its governance of the gaming industry by gaining additional powers to strike against unlawful online operators. The Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency (CRSLGA) announced an enforcement drive following the enactment of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025.
The legislation, signed by Governor Bassey Otu, empowers the agency to collaborate with global technology firms such as Google to identify, block, and remove unauthorised betting and lottery platforms. This initiative marks a new phase in Nigeria’s effort to modernise digital regulation within its expanding betting market.
The state’s new increased enforcement power will strengthen digital regulation and ensure that only authorised operators are allowed to advertise and trade in Cross River lawfully.
New legal framework toughens enforcement
The 2025 law gives the CRSLGA express powers to take action against unlicensed operators online and regularise collaborations with Google for assistance in enforcement.
In a media briefing organised in Abuja on 8 October, Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency (CRSLGA) Director-General Michael Eja outlined the ways the agency has strengthened its authority. He explained that law enforcement had long been problematic due to gaps in the current legislation. Eja noted, “The main issue was enforcement against online operators lacking physical presence in the state. That changed with the passage of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025, signed by Governor Bassey Otu earlier this year”
The law gives the agency the authority to ask for the removal of content, impose advertising limits and seek legal help from Google in tackling non-compliant platforms. This partnership will take effect on 15 October 2025, allowing licensed operators to advertise legally in the state, while illegal websites will be removed. This initiative reflects broader trends observed in Nigeria, which emphasise the increasing collaboration between regulatory bodies and prominent technology firms.
Non-discriminatory market access for authorised operators
The new regulations strike a fair balance between the compliant betting websites and safeguarding the citizens against the unauthorised websites. Eja contended that this shift is a realistic move towards the fairness of the market. “Players in Calabar and beyond deserve platforms that pay out reliably and follow rules. This setup lets compliant operators reach customers legally, while we handle the rest.”
By facilitating unrestricted advertising for licensed operators, Cross River seeks to foster trust, transparency, and responsible betting practices.
The partnership with Google will enhance the automation and data-driven nature of ad monitoring and enforcement, diminishing the impact of unregulated entities. The move is in keeping with wider attempts by Nigerian regulators aiming for greater harmonised structures to control the rapidly expanding gambling market.
Strengthening transnational regulatory cooperation
Cross River is also pursuing the national course of harmonised regulation of gambling. The CRSLGA aligned itself in May 2025 with the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), an organisation that represents 25 states. The association’s key achievement is the harmonisation of a reciprocal license regime so that operators that are licensed in a member state are able to operate throughout member jurisdictions.
Eja, who was involved in the development of the framework, stated that the system will generate billions of naira in shared revenue. The newly established structure implements an 11% tax on gross gaming income and a standardised annual operator fee of ₦100 million ($68,630), effective from 2026.
To promote early compliance, the FSGRN has decided to waive licensing fees for the current fiscal year. Eja stated: “Harmonising licences cuts costs for companies and boosts our internal revenue without raising taxes on residents. It funds local needs like schools and roads, real benefits for communities.” Through these measures, Cross River seeks to strike a balance between growth and accountability, thereby contributing to the overarching national revenue objectives.
Promoting transparency and conformity
see operators fully adhere to the new regulations.
The agency intends to carry out regular audits, compliance reviews, and public advisories. Additionally, it will disseminate lists of licensed and unlicensed entities to assist players in identifying legitimate platforms.
Authorities maintain that regular monitoring will create reciprocal confidence between operators and the regulators and will also improve the agency’s powers to wield penalties for violations.
This coordinated procedure will help increase the regulatory power of Cross River and promote long-run soundness in the market. Moreover, the implementation of transparent norms for oversight may set a precedent for further states that aspire to raise digital conformity.
The implications for Nigeria’s betting market
The enforcement model by Cross River may serve as a template for the other Nigerian states that are facing unregulated online betting. The nation’s betting market is still amongst the fastest-growing in Africa, but most state regulators are yet to have functional tools to trace offshore and illicit bookmakers.
By incorporating digital monitoring and global technology platforms, Cross River has created a model for compliance that is built around real-time monitoring and content regulation. Its innovative model could soon have a bearing on the way that other states develop their gambling regulation frameworks. It also identifies a significant change in the policy direction in Nigeria, one that centres around cooperation between the state institutions and global Information Technology corporations. This framework, built around cooperation, allows for easier regulation of Internet content by the regulatory body while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Such changes occur in the context of persistent discussions between federal and state regulators regarding the governance of Nigeria’s gaming market. As reported, regional authorities have maintained their stance in favour of their autonomy concerning the regulation of gaming activities.
A blueprint for the digital regulation of the future
The new Cross River enforcement mechanism marks the move towards a more innovative and coordinated regulation of gambling in Nigeria. With the partnership between CRSLGA and Google, the state has the mechanisms to discover, block, and take down unauthorised betting content.
The system establishes equitable competition for licensed operators and guarantees that consumer protection continues to be of paramount importance. Cross River’s model has the potential to inspire a new era of technology-driven regulation, harmonising innovation, compliance, and sustainable growth within Nigeria’s digital gaming sector.
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