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In 2005, the lottery was legalised in Nigeria under the National Lottery Act 2005 which was passed by the National Assembly. Crucially “Lottery” or “Lotteries” are defined in very broad terms and allowed for a much wider expansion of gambling.
Capital: Abuja Total Area: 923,768 sq km Population: 237 million Median age: 19.3 years Ethnic groups: Hausa-Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%. Religions: Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.) Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages Currency: Naira
Government type: Federal presidential republic Chief of State: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu (since 29 May 2023) Elections: President directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 27 February 2027). Unemployment: 5% Tourism: 3 million (estimated)
HOW GAMBLING IS REGULATED Te Nigerian government legalised certain forms of gambling in an attempt to generate tax revenues via the Criminal Code Act in 1990. Tis also allowed for an increase in the number of tra- ditional bookmakers in the country. Te Act also addressed what constitutes legal and prohibited gambling activities. According to the act it was a crime to have, operate, manage, or live in an illegal gaming facility. Te owner, operator, manager, or occupant of an unlawful gaming house could have been fined 1,000 Naira or imprisoned for two years. Te law distinguished between games of skill (which are legal) and games of chance (which are illegal). Legal forms of gambling included the lottery, land-based casinos and sports betting, whereas roulette, dice games and non-skilled card games were considered illegal. In addition Te Gaming Machines (Prohibition) Act which sought to regulate the growing number of illegal slot machines and which dates back to 1977 made the import and owning of gaming machines illegal in Nigeria, apart from for casinos. However, 152Tis is because they include “any game, scheme,
arrangement, system, plan, promotional competition or device for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, or as a result of the exercise of skill and chance or based on the outcome of sporting events or any other device which the President may by notice in the gazette declare to be lottery and which shall be operated according to a licence.” Furthermore Te National Lottery (Amendment) Act No. 6 2017 defines the term “Game” to mean “pari-mutuel and fixed odds and any other lottery that has the nature or character of a game.” Consequently the term “lottery” in Nigeria encompasses not just lotteries but other types of gambling as well including sports betting. In addition while the government did not address the provisions
that covered gambling in the Criminal Code Act of 1990 and failed to overturn the Gaming Machine Act of 1977 these provisions no longer stand as gaming is recognised as being legal in the National Lottery Act.
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