Lagos Regulator Names Stake.com on Illegal Gaming Operators List

The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority has named Medium Rara NV, trading as Stake.com, on its official List of Illegal Gaming Companies in Lagos State, identifying the company as carrying on gaming operations in the state without the required licence.

Stake.com appears at number 17 on the register, which the Authority publishes to inform the public that the listed organizations are carrying on gaming operations in Lagos State without first obtaining the prerequisite licences from the regulator. According to the register, the named companies operate in contravention of Section 33(3) of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law 2021, the provision under which “a person without a subsisting licence or authorization from the Authority shall not conduct or operate any gaming activity in the State.”

The register lists more than 40 companies and their trade names. Alongside Medium Rara NV, it names Bet365 Group Limited, trading as bet365, as well as BWIN 0013, N1 Interactive Africa Gaming Limited, trading as N1Bet, and Aleh Ventures Global Limited, trading as Helabet.

The Regulator Behind the Register

The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority describes itself as the pioneer gaming regulatory body in Nigeria. It became functional in 2005 with an exclusive licensee, and its governing law was amended in 2021 in response to global developments in the gaming industry.

The Authority’s published functions span licensing across categories that include online sports betting, casino gaming, lotteries, gaming machines and pools betting. Its operations cover monitoring and inspection through surveillance, investigations and compliance audits, while its enforcement powers run from suspension and revocation to termination of licences and litigation. Its revenue-collection mandate covers licence fees, draw levies, gaming tax and Good Causes money.

State Jurisdiction and the Federation of State Gaming Regulators

The Authority’s current framework follows a Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment in a suit brought by the Attorney General of Lagos State against the Attorney General of the Federation. According to the federation’s account of its 28 de novembro de 2024 meeting in Lagos, the judgment held that the National Lottery Act could not regulate gaming and lotteries across Nigeria, and confirmed that gaming regulation falls to the states as a residual matter under the Constitution.

The Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria convened representatives of 24 member states at the Radisson Hotel in Ikeja to deliberate on the ruling. Bashir Are, chief executive of the Lagos Authority, chairs the federation. At the meeting, the federation reaffirmed its Universal Reciprocity License regime, a system developed with Deloitte over two years and fully operational from 1 de dezembro de 2024, intended to simplify licensing across member states while preserving each state’s autonomy.

The federation states that it partners with federal agencies including the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Nigeria Communications Commission, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the National Identity Management Commission. It also maintains a partnership with the SCUML division of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission. The federation’s stated mission is to unite all states to ensure fair gaming regulation and protect stakeholders across Nigeria, with listed priorities spanning compliance monitoring, responsible gambling and the prevention of underage gaming.

Enforcement Notices and the Licensing Overhaul

In a public notice published on 25 de julho de 2026, the Authority said judgments of the High Court of Lagos State had affirmed its statutory mandate under the 2021 law. According to the notice, the court held that every gaming operator serving Lagos residents, whether physical, online or remote, must comply with the state’s licensing, registration and tax requirements. The court also held that locating administrative offices or servers outside the state does not place an operator beyond the reach of Lagos law, that taking wagers from Lagos residents is enough to establish full regulatory jurisdiction, and it issued perpetual injunctions restraining non-compliant operators from continuing business until full compliance is met. The notice adds that the court confirmed the Authority’s powers to assess and recover licence fees, penalties and the statutory Good Causes Levy on gross gaming revenue, and to access, inspect and audit operators’ financial records.

The notice records three decided cases from 2026. Zegaming Nigeria Limited had its operations declared illegal and was ordered to register, submit financial statements and pay outstanding levies, and was restrained by perpetual injunction. Africa Betting Company Nigeria Ltd was directed to regularize its licensing, remit back-dated levies, produce financial records and cease operations. Mozzartbet Services Limited had a preliminary objection dismissed and its operations declared illegal, with the court upholding jurisdiction over online operations accessible in Lagos and awarding a ₦500,000 fine.

The same notice directed all unlicensed sports betting, casino, lottery and gaming platforms offering services within Lagos State to suspend non-compliant activity at once and begin regularizing their status with the Authority. It warned that operators continuing to defy the directive would face enforcement action, recovery of back-dated levies, court injunctions and prosecution under Section 85 of the Law.

In a public notice dated 20 de julho de 2026, the Authority announced a technological overhaul of the state’s gaming framework under the 2021 law, with Global Lab joining as an accredited testing laboratory effective julho de 2026. The notice set out a six-month transition roadmap: a mandatory registry census of operators, B2B software and platform providers and payment service providers; formal testing and certification of game source codes, random number generators, online platforms, land-based hardware and payment gateways; and a final switch-off at which uncertified systems will be disconnected upon expiration, resulting in licence revocation.