Generally, gaming business in Nigeria is regulated by both the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of the State where the gaming business is located. The only exception is the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja which is under the administration of the Federal Government of Nigeria and therefore does not require two-level regulation of gaming businesses within the FCT.
A company that is seeking to engage in gaming business in Edo State must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (“CAC”) as a limited liability company and licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (“NLRC”) and the Gaming Department of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue.
What categories of games are available for licensing in Edo State?
Just like in Rivers State, there are Four (4) major categories of games which can be licensed in Edo State, namely:
- Online Sports Betting
- Pools Betting
- Casino Gaming
- Lottery/Lotteries
What are the procedure and requirements for the grant of Gaming license in Edo State?
The application procedure for gaming is in two levels: first licence by the NLRC and the second licence by the Board of Internal Revenue of Edo State. Please read more about costs, requirements and timeline for obtaining gaming licence from the NLRC here.
With respect to the licence by the Board of Internal Revenue of Edo State, the applicant company is required to present a written application to the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue which must be accompanied by the following documents:
- Evidence of payment of Application Fee;
- CAC incorporation documents;
- Minimum of Two (2) Directors’ Tax clearance certificate;
- Operations manual disclosing the play and mode of operations;
- Proof of business address within Rivers State;
- Business Plan and Feasibility Study;
- Proof of financial capability.
What are the applicable taxes to be paid by the Applicant?
The taxes payable for each category of Gaming is hereby tabulated below:
| S/N | Categories of Gaming | Applicable Taxes |
| 1 | Lotto/Lotteries | 10% percent is paid monthly on all transactions |
| 2 | Online sports betting | 2.5% percent of total monthly transactions to be charged on sales, stakes, bet carried out in Edo state. |
| 3 | Pools betting | N15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Naira) to be paid weekly by company. |
| 4 | Casino Gaming | N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) to be paid annually by the company. |
What is the minimum share capital for setting up a Gaming company in Edo State?
The nature of gaming business of a company will determine the required share capital with which it must be registered. Please note that the incorporation of a sports betting and lottery company cannot be completed unless with a provisional approval of the NLRC.
Registration of companies with CAC can now be completed in 24 hours after submission application subject to fulfillment of the preconditions for incorporation including the provisional approval of the NLRC. The process of company incorporation is now 100% digital.
Please note that Edo State has also prescribed N10 Million as the minimum share capital to set up Sports betting, Lotteries and Casino Gaming companies.
However, this does not apply to Pool Betting companies which may be licensed in Edo State if it is registered with a minimum of N5 million share capital.
What are the Requirements for Company Registration in Nigeria?
A company desirous of setting up a Gaming business must register the company with CAC. Registration of companies with CAC can now be completed in 24 hours after submission. The registration process is 100% digital.
The mandatory requirements for company registration with CAC are listed and explained as follows:
(a) Two Proposed Names of the Company: The Applicant shall be required to submit two (2) Proposed Names for reservation. These two (2) proposed names must be submitted to CAC (using the online portal) for pre-application name search, screening and approval. One of the names may be approved by the CAC within 24 hours.
(b) Proposed Registered Address, Email and Phone Number of the Company: Every company must have its registered address in Nigeria. Also, it is important to provide the email and phone number of the company (please note that the email address and phone numbers of the shareholders or directors may be used in the meantime). The registered address, email and phone numbers are also relevant for use and record of the tax authorities.
(c) Details of Shareholders, Directors and Company Secretary of the Company: The old law that a company must have at least two (2) shareholders or two (2) directors has now been abolished by the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (“CAMA 2020”). Now, a company may be registered with at least one (1) shareholder, director and company secretary who must present the following details:
- Names;
- Home and contact addresses;
- Email Addresses;
- Phone Numbers;
- Date of Birth;
- Occupation;
- A copy of government-issued means of identity (preferably data page of international passport); and
- Electronic signatures.
(d) Provisional Approval of the NLRC (where applicable): Where the company seeks to engage in sports betting and lottery games, it is required to first obtain the provisional approval of the NLRC before applying to the CAC for company incorporation.
What are the Applicable costs for obtaining Gaming License in Edo State?
The Applicable costs for obtaining Gaming License in Edo State are as below:
| S/N | Categories of Gaming | Application Fee | License/Registration Fee | Renewal Fees | Incorporation Cost |
| 1 | Online Sports Betting | N350,000 | N5,000,000 | N5,000,000 | N175,000 |
| 2 | Lotto/Lotteries | N350,000 | N5,000,000 | N5,000,000. | N555,000 |
| 3 | Pools Betting | N200,000 | N1,100,000 | N450,000 for the Pools betting company and its Agents | N175,000 |
| 4 | Casino Gaming | N100,000 | N400,000 | N300,000 for the Casino Gaming company and its Agents. | N175,000 |
The above costs do not include professional fees as well as the licensing costs in respect of the NLRC licence, which is available here.
What is the timeline for processing Gaming License in Edo State?
From our experience, the process for obtaining the license takes about five (5) to ten (10) working days upon submission of all relevant documents and payment of requisite fees.
What is the validity period for Gaming licenses in Edo State?
All categories of Gaming licenses in Edo State have the lifespan of Twelve (12) months, which is renewable for another Twelve (12) months.
Is there any mandatory requirement to submit monthly report of transactions to Gaming Regulatory?
No. There is no mandatory requirement. However, the Applicant (Gaming operator) has the discretion to submit its report to the Board of Internal Revenue Service.
