Casinos in Nigeria: Lagos, Abuja and Online Casinos

Nigeria has legal land-based casinos, but not many, and information about them is patchy. Only two could be confirmed as operating from official or reliable sources: the Federal Palace Hotel & Casino on Victoria Island, Lagos, and the casino at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. Online casinos can be licensed in Lagos and some other states, but they are legal for you only if they hold a licence from the state you are in.

This page covers the land-based casinos, the legal status of online casinos by state and the main casino games. Casinos are for adults aged 18+ only, and every game favours the house over time.

Key points

• Confirmed land-based casinos: the Federal Palace Hotel & Casino in Lagos and the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, whose official Hilton page lists a casino.
• Lagos licences: 18 land-based casino and 13 online casino licences, according to a third-party reading of the LSLGA register on 20 October 2026.
• Rivers State (Port Harcourt) has a dedicated Casino Licensing Board.
• Some northern states ban gambling, including Kano.
• Baccarat house edge with 8 decks: banker 1.06%, player 1.24%, tie 14.36%.
• No one under 18 may gamble.

Land-based casinos we could confirm

Federal Palace Hotel & Casino (Lagos)

This long-established hotel on Victoria Island is listed on the major booking sites as “The Federal Palace Hotel and Casino”, and Wikipedia describes it as Nigeria’s biggest casino. Victoria Island is also where many Chinese companies have offices and many Chinese residents live; see our guide to Lagos neighbourhoods.

We could not find official opening hours, table counts or a dress code, so contact the hotel before you go.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja

The Transcorp Hilton is in central Abuja. Hilton’s official page says the hotel has 667 rooms, seven restaurants and a casino. For the city itself, see our Abuja city guide. Again, check opening hours, games and entry rules with the hotel.

Other casinos you may hear about

Online directories also list a casino at the Eko Hotel, the Jacaranda Casino, and others in Abuja and Port Harcourt. We could not confirm any of them from official or reliable sources, and the listings may be out of date, so we do not recommend them. The LSLGA register shows 18 land-based casino licences in Lagos, so more venues probably exist, but not every licence holder is necessarily open to the public.

Before you visit a casino

• Age: you must be 18 or over; bring your passport or other ID.
• Currency: mostly naira; ask in advance whether foreign currency is accepted. Carrying large amounts of cash is a security risk; see our Nigeria security guide.
• Transport: arrange a trusted driver or ride-hailing car for late departures.
• Budget: decide before you arrive how much you are willing to lose, and do not withdraw cash or borrow on site.

Online casinos: legal status by state

Since the Supreme Court ruling of 22 November 2024, whether an online casino is legal depends on where you are:

Offshore sites, such as Stake.com, which Lagos named illegal in September 2026, may load and accept deposits, but you get no local regulatory protection on them. For state details, see Nigeria gambling laws.

How to spot a legitimate online casino

1. Check the licence: look up the company name and domain on the official lslga.org register and make sure the licence category includes Online Casino.
2. Expect KYC: legitimate operators ask for ID (passport, NIN, bank account). Be wary of sites that never verify who you are.
3. Look at payments: licensed operators normally offer local bank transfer, USSD and cards. Sites that only take crypto, or ask you to pay into a personal account, are high risk.
4. Read the game rules: proper games publish their rules and return to player (RTP).
5. Check the complaints route: Lagos licensees must resolve complaints within three months, after which you can go to the LSLGA.
6. Look for safer-gambling tools: licensed operators should offer deposit limits, cooling-off periods and SafePlay self-exclusion.

Land-based vs online casinos

For deposit and withdrawal options, see gambling payments in Nigeria.

Casino games and the house edge

The house edge is what the casino expects to keep, on average, from every 100 you stake over the long run. Betting banker in baccarat costs about 1.06 per 100 staked on average; betting tie costs about 14.36. Anyone can win in the short term, but no system beats the house edge over time. We found no evidence of baccarat or mahjong products in Nigeria aimed specifically at Chinese players. For more games, see popular gambling games.

Practical tips for a casino visit

• Go with someone and tell a colleague or family member your plans.
• Carry only the cash you have budgeted for the night, and leave your cards at home.
• Do not borrow from strangers or accept offers of credit or “guided play” on site.
• Alcohol weakens judgement and makes overspending more likely.
• Leave when you hit your limit; do not play “one more to win it back”.

Responsible gambling

Casinos are for adults aged 18+ only. Treat casino spending as entertainment and set a limit in advance. Players with Lagos-licensed operators can self-exclude through SafePlay. If you or a colleague are losing control, read our responsible gambling and help resources, or go back to the gambling hub.

Sources

• https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/abuhitw-transcorp-hilton-abuja/
• https://m.booking.com/hotel/ng/the-federal-palace-and-casino.en-gb.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambling_in_Nigeria
• https://gamblingmaps.org/regulators/lslga-nigeria
• https://lslga.org/?p=12533
• https://aluko-oyebode.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/State-Regulation-in-the-Gaming-Sector-June-2025.pdf
• https://nannews.ng/fcta-inaugurates-lottery-regulatory-office-invites-applications-from-operators/
• https://www.gaming.net/lagos-regulator-names-stake-com-on-illegal-gaming-operators-list/
• https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/basics/
• https://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/basics/
• https://igamingbusiness.com/sustainable-gambling/nigeria-safeplay-self-exclusion-tool-launched
• https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/kano-hisbah-bans-sports-betting-reels-out-new-set-of-rules

Facts checked: 2026-10-22 · Niriliya Huaren Editorial Team · How we check facts