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Cross River State is stepping up its gaming regulation with new powers to penalise unlicensed online operators and collaborate directly with Google to remove illicit content.
The Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency (CRSLGA) has announced a sweeping crackdown on unlicensed lottery and sports betting platforms, following the enactment of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025. The new framework, signed by Governor Bassey Otu, allows the agency to work with global tech companies to identify, block, and remove unauthorised operators within the state.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort to strengthen digital oversight in Nigeria’s growing betting sector.
Cross River enforces new legal framework for digital betting oversight
The 2025 gaming law empowers the agency to act against unlicensed operators and collaborate with Google on enforcement.
During a briefing in Abuja on October 8, Michael Eja, Director-General of the CRSLGA, outlined the agency’s plan to enhance market integrity and consumer protection. He explained that previous enforcement efforts had been hampered by the absence of a clear legal basis to act against online operators without a physical presence in the state.
Eja said:
“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 new legislation authorises CRSLGA to request content takedowns, ad restrictions, and legal support from Google for actions against non-compliant platforms. This partnership will begin operating formally from October 15, allowing licensed operators to advertise legally within Cross River while illicit sites face removal.
The move reflects broader digital enforcement trends across Nigeria, as ‘Gambling Ads Set to Go Live in Google in Three Nigerian States’ signals expanding cooperation between regulators and tech platforms.
These changes are expected to directly reshape competition between regulated and unregulated platforms, paving the way for fairer market access.
Licensed operators gain fairer access to the market
The initiative aims to create equal conditions for compliant platforms while protecting consumers from unregulated sites.
Eja described the change as a practical move for local players and legitimate businesses.
“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.”
The new system effectively shields licensed operators from unregulated competition while giving the state a clearer view of betting activity. The collaboration with Google also means ad monitoring and enforcement will be more automated and transparent.
This fairer system aligns with a wider movement among Nigerian regulators to coordinate their gaming frameworks more efficiently.
National regulatory cooperation strengthens enforcement
Cross River’s move follows a broader push for coordinated gaming regulation across Nigeria.
In May 2025, the CRSLGA joined the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), a coalition representing 25 member states, to establish a reciprocity licensing system. This framework enables an operator with one state licence to function across all participating jurisdictions.
Eja, who helped develop the agreement, stated that the system is projected to generate billions of naira in shared revenue. The mechanism includes an 11 per cent tax on gross gaming income and a standardised annual operator fee of ₦100 million, to take effect in 2026.
To encourage early compliance, the FSGRN is waiving licence fees during the current fiscal year. Eja said:
“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.”
These fiscal and regulatory measures align with the ‘Nigerian Gaming Operators to Pay 11% Tax as FSGRN Announce New Licensing Rules’ report, which outlined the tax model now being implemented across member states.
With this national framework taking shape, Cross River now turns its attention to maintaining compliance and transparency across the digital betting space.
Strengthening transparency and compliance standards
The agency will introduce audits and advisories to ensure ongoing adherence to regulatory requirements.
CRSLGA has announced plans for routine audits, compliance reviews, and public advisories designed to guide operators through the transition to the new legal framework. The agency intends to publish lists of licensed and unlicensed entities to improve transparency and ensure that consumers can verify the legitimacy of betting platforms.
Officials indicated that consistent monitoring will help build trust between operators and regulators while reinforcing state-level capacity to enforce penalties for violations.
These measures will also contribute to a more predictable regulatory environment, setting a precedent that could influence broader reforms across Nigeria.
Broader implications for Nigeria’s betting landscape
Cross River’s enforcement model could serve as a template for other states seeking to tighten control over online gambling.
Nigeria’s betting market, one of the fastest-growing in Africa, has faced persistent challenges in curbing unlicensed activity. State regulators often lacked the digital tools and legal mechanisms needed to track and block offshore operators.
By integrating enforcement with major tech platforms, Cross River’s approach introduces a digital compliance model that may be replicated by other jurisdictions. It also underscores the increasing collaboration between local regulators and global technology firms, signalling a more data-driven approach to gambling oversight in Nigeria. This evolution comes amid ongoing policy tension between regional and federal authorities, as detailed in ‘Nigeria state regulators stand firm against central gaming bill 2025’.
As the model gains traction, attention will likely shift toward balancing innovation, compliance, and growth.
Outlook: balancing growth with regulation
Cross River’s initiative aims to stabilise market growth while protecting public interest.
The crackdown represents a key step in Nigeria’s ongoing effort to modernise gambling regulation. For licensed operators, the clarity and enforcement strength offered by the new law may encourage greater investment and compliance, while players gain improved protection from fraudulent sites.
Eja confirmed that the agency’s next phase will focus on data collection, public education, and operator engagement, ensuring that both compliance and growth remain sustainable. As he noted, the ultimate goal is a betting environment where operators compete fairly and the state benefits transparently.
Will other Nigerian states adopt a similar model to bring their gaming markets under stricter digital control?
Source: Focus Gaming News Africa
