Best Real Money Online Casinos in Nigeria 2021

Internet and mobile usage in Nigeria is increasing at a rapid rate. As of 2021, the number stands at 100 million for internet users and 170 million for mobile subscriptions. For millions of Nigerians, this means innovative new ways to work and have fun online.

One amazing new opportunity coming from the internet revolution in Nigeria is access to online casinos. Nigerians love to gamble, which is why the first Nigerian online casino was launched way back in 2013. Despite some ups and downs over the years, online casino gambling in Nigeria is more popular than ever before in 2021.

On this page, you will find a definitive guide to real money online casinos in Nigeria. It is updated to reflect the latest situation of the gambling industry, Nigeria gambling laws, and the number of available online casinos. We will also tell you about safe online casinos, the best quality software and games, payment methods and more.

Learn everything you need to know about betting at online casinos in Nigeria, all in one place!

Online casinos are businesses too – they use flashy marketing tactics like free gifts and generous welcome packages to attract players like you. But don’t join a casino simply because it has the biggest bonus offers around. For the safest and best online gambling experience look for these important features:

Licensed & Regulated by A Gaming Authority

A gaming authority is a government body that controls online gambling business in countries where it is legalized. European authorities like the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), Gibraltar, and Alderney Gaming Commissions are considered the best for players.

Casinos that get licensed by these authorities have to follow strict rules on player safety, fair gambling, and online security. If you see a UKGC or MGA seal on a casino website, it usually means that the casino is reliable and safe.

But this does not mean that casinos carrying other licenses from authorities in Curacao, Panama, or Kahnawake are bad. There are many great online casinos that use these licenses because they are cheaper to get.

Licenses are important, but are not the final word. Even some unlicensed casinos have excellent reputation and reliability. If a casino has a valid license, it just reduces the need for further checking.

Player Safety & Security

Casinos deal with a lot of money, which makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals and hackers. So, all reputed and licensed casinos generally use advanced encryption technologies like 128 Bit SSL. Many banks use this security feature on their online sites and payment pages.

This ensures that all data you share with the casino – your contact info, ID proofs, banking information – everything is secured by converting them into secret code that hackers cannot break. Look for “https” at the beginning of the casino web address in your browser, and the SSL logo on the pages to ensure that the casino uses these advanced security features.

Another form of player safety deals with controlling problem gambling. As we all know, gambling can be addictive. All reliable casinos provide responsible gambling measures. These are special tools that you can use to control or reduce gambling when it starts to affect your life/finances negatively.

Variety of Games and Quality of Game Software

Online casinos rely on software vendors/providers for games and casino management software. There are more than 50 reputed and licensed software providers in the business, many of them based in the UK, Malta, and other online gambling hubs around the world.

Some popular game vendors are Netent, Microgaming, IGT, Playtech, Rival, Betsoft, and Pragmatic Play. For most online players, video slots with the latest graphics and amazing themes are the main attraction. But if you like more traditional casino games, you should try table games like blackjack, roulette, and poker.

Casinos with big-name vendors offering hundreds or even 1000+ slots are common. From a strict gaming experience point of view, they are your best options. If they have big progressive jackpots that can make you a millionaire, even better!

Frequency and Quality of Bonuses & Promotions

Virtually all online casinos offer welcome packages to new players. These are bonuses that require a first cash deposit. A few casinos also offer something even better – no deposit bonuses that give you real money bets 100% free! The best casino for new players would be one that offers both types of bonus.

Check the casino for its regular player bonuses, VIP club, and loyalty rewards. These are offers available to players who complete the welcome offer and continue playing and making deposits at the casino. The best casinos are those that offer regular daily/weekly offers.

All casino bonuses and promos come with a few terms and conditions such as wagering requirements (playthrough), max cashouts, validity period, and more. You have to understand and check these rules before picking a bonus, as they can make the difference between winning and losing money!

Popular and Safe Depositing & Withdrawal Methods

The best Nigerian online casinos offer a wide range of payment options. This allows you the convenience of picking a payment method that you already own in your name. This could be a credit card or debit card (VISA, MasterCard), an e-wallet account (Paypal, Skrill, Neteller), Bitcoins, prepaid cards, or other online banking methods.

All these are popular methods used by Nigerian online casino players. For maximum anonymity and security, bitcoin is a great option, but not all casinos support it. Otherwise, Paypal and other eWallets are ideal for quick and easy transactions.

Mobile Responsiveness & User Experience

These days, many players use mobiles for their online gaming needs. Knowing this, the online casino industry has adopted mobile gaming as a key focus. In 2021, all top casinos offer seamless mobile gaming – one account is all you need to play on PC, iPhone, Android phone and more.

This is a must-have feature for all top online casinos Nigeria. Download casinos and mobile apps are outdated in 2021. Look for HTML5-compatible websites that promise “instant online play” on PCs and mobile.

Reliable & Responsive Customer Support

For online casinos, customer support starts with a user-friendly website. The site should have easy-to-read pages for FAQ, Terms and Conditions, Bonus Terms, game guides, and more. In addition, the best casinos should offer 24×7 customer care across at least two channels – email and live chat. A toll-free phone number would be great, but not many online casinos have that feature.

The most popular online casinos in Nigeria are the ones that offer all these different types of bonus offers and promos to registered players.

No Deposit Bonuses

Only new players at a casino are allowed to claim this offer. It is a very special, one-time offer at a casino. You can get this offer by registering an account. Unlike other offers, there is no need to deposit any money to unlock this offer.

A no deposit bonus can either be in the form of money (free cash chip) or free spins. The free chip is usually a small amount like $5, and you can ONLY use it to place bets on games at the casino. Free spins are real money bets on slot games – typically, you get anywhere from 5-25 free spins.

Any cash you win using a no deposit bonus can be withdrawn, but only if you complete the wagering requirement and make your first deposit at the casino.

Free Spins

This refers to free spins that you unlock by making a cash deposit at the casino. Sometimes, they come along with a match bonus, like in the welcome package we explain below. Free spins are only valid on video slots – the casino will tell if you have to use them on any single slot, or select titles.

One free spin gives you one real money bet on the slot. The casino usually sets a maximum limit on the cash value of the bet. Unlike no deposit free spins, regular free spins can often be claimed in larger numbers, like 50 or 100+ spins per deposit.

Welcome Bonuses

Welcome bonuses are aimed at new players at a casino. To claim these offers, you have to register an account and deposit a minimum cash amount of $10 or more. A welcome package can be on just your first deposit, or it could be spread across several deposits – like your first 3 or first 5 deposits at the casino.

It will always have a match bonus – a 100% match bonus means that if you deposit 1000 nairas, the casino will add 100% of that to your casino account, giving you 2000 nairas to bet. The bonus money has to be used for gambling – you cannot withdraw it straight away!

Often, the match bonus in a welcome package is accompanied with some free spins as well, for a combo package. Welcome bonuses offer the highest percentage of bonuses, often going as high as 300% or more.

Vip Bonuses

To claim these benefits, you have to be a regular player and deposit money often at the casino. VIP and loyalty bonuses are designed to give out more gifts to active players – the more you wager, the higher your bonuses.

Casinos usually have a VIP club with different levels or tiers. You start at the bottom as a new player. Whenever you make a real money bet, you get these comp points from the casino. Collecting these points gives you access to higher VIP levels, which come with more bonuses.

Common VIP bonuses include higher cashback, higher withdrawal limits, exclusive VIP bonuses, birthday gifts, cash gifts, special tournaments, and even tickets to big sports matches and concerts!

Slots

With colourful spinning reels and attractive bonus features, slots are the most popular type of online casino game. There are thousands of slots in the market, and new ones are launched every week.

Slots can either be classic or modern video slots. Classic slots have simple gameplay and themes, and just 3 reels. Modern video slots can have more than 5 reels, and come with elaborate themes and stories, as well as advanced bonus features like wilds, scatter, and free spins.

They also have amazing themes like animals, Egypt, Vikings, Greek Gods, cartoons, Irish, Chinese, Anime, and many more. The top slots enjoyed by Nigerian players in 2021 include:

• Starburst
• Book of Dead
• Gonzo’s Quest
• Valley of the Gods
• Great Rhino
• Wild Safari

Table Games

These are aimed at players who love card game classics like Blackjack, Baccarat, Poker, and other 21-type games. Roulette is also included in this category at online casinos. While not as colourful as slots, table games have a lot of variety and much better chances of wins as well. The following are some of the popular table games available to Nigerian players:

• Baccarat
• Pai Gow Poker
• American Blackjack
• Sic Bo
• European Roulette

Live Casino Games

Also called live dealer games, these are the same games available in the table games section, with one important difference – they use real cards, real human dealers, real roulette tables, and dice!

The games are hosted in the studios of companies like Netent, Ezugi, and Evolution. They use live video stream to appear on your PC or mobile screens. You can place bets and even chat with the glamorous and skilled dealers during breaks in play. Top live dealer games include:

• VIP Roulette
• French Roulette
• American Blackjack
• Dragon Tiger

Video Poker

Another common category of games at Nigerian online casinos is video poker. This is a single-player variety of poker, where you bet against the dealer software. The games are available in a wide range of variants, with a different number of hand options. Popular video poker games are:

• Joker Poker
• Jacks or Better
• Deuces Wild
• Double Bonus

Bingo, Lotto, Scratchcards

Usually, these games are grouped together under a category called “Other Games.” Common games in this section include:

• Bingo
• Keno
• Candy Prize
• Hot Safari
• Foxin Wins Scratcha

What does seamless mobile gaming mean for players in Nigeria? It means that you can play at the best Nigeria online casinos with almost any mobile device or tablet. Here are the main categories of devices supported in 2021:

Ios

All Apple iPhones launched in the last 5 years are capable of running modern online casinos in the Safari browser. You can play slots and other casino games on older iPhones like the iPhone 6, 7, SE, 8 and the latest models like the XR, XS, and 11. All iPads generations like the 2, 3, and beyond are also supported.

Android

Any device from any manufacturer that has a modern HTML5 browser like Chrome is all you need to play the latest games. Hardware requirements do not matter much. Even older phones and tablets from 2017 or beyond can play casino games in 2021. Samsung Galaxy J and A-series, and other devices from Infinix, Itel, Nokia, Huawei, Xiaomi and HTC can all run casinos.

More than casinos, sports betting is incredibly popular in Nigeria in the offline betting markets due to easier accessibility to bookies. Without a doubt, football is the sport of choice with matches involving the Super Eagles, the NPFL, and European leagues like EPL all hot favourites for Nigerian punters. With online sportsbooks, you get access to all these leagues and a host of other exciting sports from around the world. Check out our guide to online sportsbooks in Nigeria to learn more

Online Sportsbook Guide

There is no comparison between offline casinos in Nigeria and the best online casinos when it comes to these important factors:

• Accessibility: There are only a few offline casinos in Nigeria, in Lagos and Abuja. Everyone cannot easily access them. There are dozens of top Nigerian online casinos, and you can access them from anywhere, 24×7.
• Choice of games: With hundreds or thousands of slots, table games, and poker, online casinos offer far more choice.
• Health safety: In times of COVID threat, online casinos are 100% superior, as you can bet from the safety of your home.
• Bonuses: In offline casinos, bonuses are open to players who make huge bets. With online casinos, you can claim bonuses for a few nairas, or even 100% free.

From these points, it is quite clear that betting online is the best option for any Nigerian gambling enthusiast in 2021 and beyond.

The following are some of the most popular casino payment methods available to Nigerians at the best online casinos in 2021:

• Paysafecard Prepaid Cards
• Payeer Nigeria
• Neteller e-Wallet
• Skrill e-Wallet
• Paypal Nigeria
• Webmoney Nigeria
• Astropay
• Bitcoin
• VISA/Mastercard
• Online Wire Transfer

The legality of gambling has been a complex issue for several decades now. While some forms of offline gambling are legal, others are not, and there is a lack of clarity on online gambling. Here is a quick look at the current legal status of various forms of gambling in the country in 2021:

Land-Based Gambling

Gambling is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission in Nigeria. Offline casinos are legal in Nigeria. There are a handful of casinos, mainly in Lagos and Abuja. Sports betting shops and lotteries run by the various state boards are also fully legal.

Slot machines are only allowed at strictly licensed gambling centres in casinos. Other gambling games like dice games, card games, roulette are all illegal in the country.

Online Gambling

Nigerian law does not specifically mention online gambling. But under the current understanding of the law, all activities that are legal offline are also considered legal online, as long as operators apply for proper licensing from the Regulatory Commission.

But there is no restriction on players accessing foreign or local online casinos for gambling. This means that you can safely register at any online casino and play slots, table games, live games, or video poker.

Nigeria Gambling Laws

The following laws are applicable to all forms of gambling activity in Nigeria, including offline and online, though the latter is not clearly mentioned:

• Chapter 22 of the Nigeria Criminal Code, 1990
• Gaming Machines Prohibition Act, 1977
• National Lottery Act, 2005
• Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011

Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa with a population of 206 million. Yet, there are only three licensed and regulated casinos in the entire country. They are located in the two main cities – the capital Abuja (1) and the financial and economic hub Lagos (2).

Together, they offer around 220+ gaming machines under strict license from the government, along with table games like poker, blackjack and roulette. All the casinos are located in luxury hotel resorts. These are the three main options for land-based gambling in Nigeria:

• Federal Palace Hotel & Casino in Victoria Island, Lagos
• Sheraton Lagos Hotel & Casino in Maryland, Lagos
• Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Maitama, Abuja

Are you new to the wonderful world of online gambling? You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed or confused. That’s pretty normal and nothing that you ought to be worried about. There is a bit you have to learn before you are ready to play with real money online, but it is simple and easy to learn. You can also visit our guide to gambling in Africa for more insights. Just check out some of our beginner guides that teach you:

• How to pick safe and reliable casinos?
• All about casino bonus types
• Important bonus terms and rules
• Best payment methods for Nigerian casinos
• Casino game terms like RTP, volatility etc