Nigerians and gambling go a long way back! In fact, sports betting in particular has been an extremely popular trend in the country for many years now. Whenever anyone talks about sport in Nigeria, the person is essentially referring to soccer! Nigeria’s love for the beautiful game, combined with easy access to various online bookmakers seems to be just the right formula which is driving this industry’s growth in the country.
Furthermore, the rapidly growing list of betting portals which now provide all kinds of mobile gambling solutions to Nigerians, including mobile friendly websites, smart phone apps and off-line punting services, is another important reason why 60 million Nigerians in the age bracket of 18 to 40 years, indulge in some type of sports betting on a regular basis.
Talking about the betting companies that have taken Nigeria’s gambling market by storm over the past few decades, there are national entities like Naijabet, Nairabet, Bet9ja etc. and reputed international brands such as Betway who have earned the loyalty of country’s sports bettors over the years. Betway in particular has emerged to be the most trustworthy gambling platform for Nigerians today. Not only does it offer a wide range of betting options to the punters, there are attractive Betgames too that people can enjoy!
Mobile sports betting is on the rise in Nigeria – A look into its various aspects
With the Nigerian economy going from strength to strength each year, more and more Nigerians have access to smart phones today. The old palasa phones, which are technologically incapable of offering such services, are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
However, an important factor that deserves mention is the lack of high quality mobile Internet connectivity in Nigeria. If the country somehow manages to improve its mobile Internet services, and the telecom industry comes up with viable options at cheaper rates, it could definitely prove to be the tide which will lift all the ships!
It shouldn’t be forgotten that majority of Nigeria’s population dwells in difficult financial conditions. There is widespread poverty, which is the common enemy for the entire economy. It’s something that should be given plenty of attention to and dealt with all kinds of tools.
Sports betting fraternity is optimistic about the success of this industry. As these business continue to evolve, they’re offering more and more job opportunities in different professional departments including customer service, technology and marketing, to the Nigerian youth.
With mobile sports betting becoming extremely easy to access in Nigeria, and smart phone ownership on the rise, it would be in the best interest of sports betting companies to tackle with issues like gambling addiction too. They must ensure there are no negative side effects of their prosperity.
Players can also be given the choice to exclude themselves from betting websites, as it happens in the UK. However, it would require a coordinated effort between all stakeholders. Some type of regulation in this regard will definitely help, for instance, ensuring that only responsible gambling companies are issued licences by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.
