The regulator issued a strong denial on September 15, 2025<\/strong>, emphasising that many of the operators cited in the reports have since obtained proper licences and are operating legally within Lagos State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The controversy erupted after articles appeared on several websites alleging that the LSLGA had updated a blacklist of unlicensed gaming firms in July and August 2025<\/strong>. These reports listed dozens of operators as illegal, potentially stoking fears among bettors and industry stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the authority clarified that the circulating “blacklist” was an obsolete version of its regulatory records, predating recent compliance efforts by the named companies. The LSLGA said in its official release: \u201cThis purported ‘blacklist’ in circulation is outdated, and several of the operators mentioned have since regularised their positions with the Authority and are duly licensed to operate within Lagos State.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The authority urged the public to consult its website for verified information, pointing to two key pages: the up-to-date list of licensed operators and the current roster of illegal ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of September 2025<\/strong>, the LSLGA’s licensed operators page features more than 70 verified entities<\/strong> across categories such as online sports betting, public online lotteries, casinos, gaming machines, pool betting and other games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prominent names include Bet9ja<\/strong> (operated by KC Gaming Networks Limited), BetKing (SV Gaming Limited), Sportybet<\/strong> (Marawin Limited) and Livescorebet<\/strong> (Visatech Limited), alongside lottery providers like Baba Ijebu<\/strong> (Premier Lotto Limited) and Golden Chance Lotto <\/strong>(Winners Golden Chance Venture Limited).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, the LSLGA’s illegal operators list identifies 42 unlicensed firms<\/strong>, including MAXBET247, N1BET, NAIRABET, BET365 and STAKE.COM<\/strong>, which are accused of conducting gaming activities in violation of Section 33(3) of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law 2021. The authority warned that engaging with these platforms exposes users to risks such as non-payment of winnings, lack of consumer protection and data security vulnerabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The false reports appear to stem from a long-standing jurisdictional tug-of-war between state and federal regulators in Nigeria’s booming igaming sector, valued at billions of dollars annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since a landmark Supreme Court ruling in November 2024 invalidated parts of the National Lottery Act 2005 and shifted primary authority over lotteries and gaming to states, the LSLGA has intensified enforcement. It has ordered any betting firm operating within its jurisdiction to reapply for fresh authorisations and cracked down on non-compliant firms. This has led to repeated clashes with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), the federal body, which has defended operators holding national licences as legitimate nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar incidents occurred in 2023<\/strong>, when the LSLGA labelled 43 operators<\/strong> illegal, only for the NLRC to counter that 20 of them possessed federal approvals, including Betika and 22Bet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LSLGA reiterated its dedication to “protecting the integrity of the Lagos gaming environment, ensuring compliance among operators, and safeguarding the interests of the public”, while calling on stakeholders to rely solely on official channels.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Ghana-300x200.png\")
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