Nigerian Senate Approves Central Gaming Bill Amid Fierce Constitutional Objections

Nigeria’s Senate has officially passed the Central Gaming Bill, 2025, pushing the country closer to repealing the National Lottery Act of 2005 along with its 2017 amendment, despite persistent objections from state-level regulators.

The bill, brought forward by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, successfully completed its third reading on 4 December and now moves to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for his signature.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin underscored the bill’s scope during the session, declaring, “A bill for the Act to repeal the National Lottery Act Number Seven of 2005 and the National Lottery Amendment Act Number Six of 2017 and to enact the Central Gaming Bill to regulate the operation and business of all forms of online and remote gaming across the geographical boundaries of the federation units and beyond the borders of Nigeria,” according to Channels Television.

Supporters Position the Bill as a Modernisation Effort

Proponents within the National Assembly argue that Nigeria’s existing gambling laws are outdated and insufficient for managing today’s rapidly expanding online and remote gaming sector. With Nigeria recognised as one of Africa’s fastest-growing gambling markets, lawmakers supporting the bill insist that centralised, modernised regulation is overdue.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and six other members of the House of Representatives sponsored the proposal. Meanwhile, Bamidele Salam clarified that the bill establishes a firm legal structure for gaming operations in the Federal Capital Territory, where the federal government continues to exercise regulatory authority. Salam also stated that the framework simplifies taxation, licensing fees, and compliance obligations, noting that it would “improve transparency in revenue, remittance, promote responsible gaming, and protect consumers from fraudulent practices.”

State Regulators Decry the Bill as Unconstitutional

However, the bill has faced strong resistance from state regulators and legal experts since its introduction. Opponents argue that the legislation fundamentally contradicts the Nigerian Constitution and disregards a definitive 2024 Supreme Court ruling affirming that states—not the federal government—hold exclusive power over lotteries and gaming activities.

The Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), supported by the Nigerian Bar Association and several constitutional lawyers, condemned the measure, warning that it “defies the 2024 Supreme Court Ruling,” which rendered the National Lottery Act invalid and prohibited federal agencies from regulating gaming within individual states. The FSGRN labeled the new bill “an open affront to the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the Supreme Court.”

The organisation cautioned that by attempting to re-establish federal oversight through new legislation, the National Assembly risks eroding judicial authority and sparking renewed conflict between national and state governments—an outcome legal analysts have also flagged as likely.

Lagos State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for the Ministry of Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, issued his own warning, stating, “As the Chief Law Officer of Lagos State, it is both my constitutional duty and responsibility to draw the nation’s attention to the voyage of unconstitutionality embarked upon by the National Assembly to enact Act to Regulate the Operation and Business of All Forms of Online and Remote Gaming Across the Geographical Boundaries of the Federating Units and Beyond the Borders of Nigeria.”

Pathway to a Central Gaming Authority Still Advancing

Despite these objections, the House of Representatives is widely expected to endorse the Senate’s version of the Central Gaming Bill. If approved, the legislation would establish a centralised regulatory body for online and remote gaming activities nationwide and formally repeal the long-standing National Lottery Act—setting the stage for another phase in Nigeria’s ongoing federal-state dispute over gaming regulation.

By fLEXI tEAM