ARCON and state gaming regulators sign MoU to unify gambling advertising rules in Nigeria
The agreement is in response to challenges caused by differing advertising requirements among states, which have created compliance difficulties for gaming operators.
Nigeria.- The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen oversight and ensure compliance in advertising practices within Nigeria’s gambling sector.
The agreement, inked during a ceremony in Lagos, formalises cooperation between the federal advertising regulator and state gaming authorities to create a single framework for how gaming and lottery companies promote their products across media platforms.
The framework aims to ensure that advertising standards for gaming operators on national television, radio and digital platforms align with those enforced by state regulators at the local level. It will take effect across FSGRN member states on April 1, 2026.
The agreement is in response to challenges caused by differing advertising requirements among states, which have created compliance difficulties for gaming operators across multiple jurisdictions. Speaking at the signing ceremony, ARCON Director-General Olalekan Fadolapo said the absence of regulatory alignment among states had created administrative difficulties in a sector he described as high risk.
Fadolapo said: “What we stand to gain is the sanity of the regulation and operation of gaming in Nigeria. If we allow all these things to be done in silos, it is going to create more problems.”
He noted that the partnership upholds the constitutional separation of responsibilities, keeping advertising under federal control while state governments regulate gaming activities, as confirmed by the Supreme Court.
The collaboration is expected to improve oversight of gaming promotions, particularly on mass media and digital platforms, while strengthening consumer protection in Nigeria’s expanding gambling market.
Fadolapo added: “The association has 25 members. Within this framework of the MoU, we have 25 member states where we can now say we have a single advertising regulatory framework.”
