FCT-LRO starts operations and sets seven-day licence transition for Abuja operators
Licences & markets1 min read
Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Lottery Regulatory Office began full operations and published recognised operators across casino, sports betting, lotto and interactive gaming. Former National Lottery Regulatory Commission licensees operating or planning to operate in the territory have seven days from publication to begin regularising their licences; valid existing licences remain recognised until expiry and are to be converted.
Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Lottery Regulatory Office (FCT-LRO) has begun regulating gaming in Abuja and the wider territory and published lists of operators it recognises as licensed, the office said. The announcement came months after the regulator was inaugurated last May.
Operators previously licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) were a major focus of the notice, according to the office. Affected businesses have seven days after publication to start the regularisation process. Valid NLRC licences will be honoured until they expire and converted to equivalent FCT-LRO licences. Operators keep their remaining licence terms but must provide documentation and existing licences for verification, as well as satisfy the transition rules. The measure is intended to preserve continuity while moving operators into the territory’s framework.
The FCT-LRO said operators conducting gaming business in the territory must engage with the local regulatory structure on licensing and compliance. Its position follows the authority’s interpretation of a Supreme Court judgment cited in the notice.
The regulator published recognised operators across casino, sports betting, lotto and interactive gaming. The casino list includes SV Gaming Limited, N1 Interactive Africa Limited, Channels Bet Limited, Football Internet Limited, Winit Limited and Lucky9ja Lotto Limited. The four recognised sports betting operators are KC Gaming Ltd (Bet9Ja), Sporty Internet Limited, SV Gaming Limited and Africlick Limited.