The Lagos State Lotteries Board said it closed Totobet24’s administrative and operating office in Ajah after the operator continued sports betting without a valid state licence. The board said it had warned the promoters to stop and told them of the consequences under Lagos State law.
The closure signals enforcement against unlicensed sports betting operations in Lagos State.
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Lagos State has begun deducting 5% withholding tax from qualifying net winnings paid through licensed gaming platforms, the state government said. Operators must deduct the tax at payout and remit it to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service; players must provide their National Identification Number under KYC requirements.
Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority chief executive Bashir Are said Nigerian states have a reciprocal licensing arrangement that allows operators licensed in Lagos to operate in participating states. He said states share licence fees and that the Central Gaming Bill, rejected by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in late 2025, would not proceed.
Lagos State Government asked Nigeria’s Supreme Court for permission to serve a contempt notice on the National Assembly over its proposed Central Gaming Bill. The state alleges that the bill encroaches on powers reserved to states by a 2024 ruling on lottery and gaming regulation.
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority named 26 operators it alleges are conducting gaming activities in Lagos without the required licences. The authority cited the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law 2021 and advised the public not to use the listed platforms.
The Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority published a notice on unlicensed gaming companies in Lagos State on 3 October 2023. The notice text provided identifies the subject but does not name any companies or describe specific enforcement measures.