Africa Gaming Expo, Other Events That Will Shape 2024

From important conferences and exhibitions to landmark judiciary pronouncements and educational sessions, this is going to be a busy year for the gaming industry, writes Nseobong Okon-Ekong

Africa Gaming Expo

Arguably, the most anticipated event in the gaming industry in Nigeria for 2024 is the impending Africa Gaming Expo, which is being organised for the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority by Africa Gaming Expo Limited. Advertised as the largest gathering of gaming stakeholders in Africa, it is billed to be held at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites between March 12 and 15. In its concept and planning, AGE Lagos is the most ambitious function yet, spanning all four days and drawing participants from key countries where significant gaming activities are taking place.

Industry insiders eagerly look forward to the critical role AGE Lagos can play as a first-of-its-kind platform for bringing together all interlocking units in the gaming environment for the exchange of information. The pacesetting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose key role as chief host and keynote speaker will set the tone for the discourse, which centres on ‘Exploring the Future of the Africa Gaming Market: Emerging Trends, Prospects and Opportunities’.

Supreme Court Begins Hearing on Control of Lottery Sector

Incidentally, the Supreme Court has fixed March 13, 2024, to hear a suit filed in 2008 by the attorney general of Lagos against the federal government regarding who controls and regulates the gaming and lottery sector, even as the momentous Africa Gaming Expo is taking place in Lagos.

There might be a long time before the case that began 16 years ago is concluded. The Attorney General of the Federation is the first defendant, while the National Assembly is the second defendant. The attorneys general of 34 states were joined as defendants by the Supreme Court on November 15, 2022. 

Bode Olanipekun represents the Lagos government, Innocent Daa’gba represents the federal government, and Ifeanyi Mrialike represents the National Assembly. The attorneys general of the 33 states are duly represented. The apex court had advised that all the state governments on one side, in accordance with their respective interests, should present a common argument to save the court’s time on the hearing date.

Explaining his position, Daagba said he had filed processes and submissions to the federal government since 2020 to pave the way for a hearing of the matter.

On August 15, 2022, the federal government (through the Nigerian Lottery Regulation Commission and the Nigerian Lottery Trust Fund) won the case against Lagos and other states on the issue of multiple regulations in the gaming sector.

The Association of Nigeria Bookmakers had initiated the lawsuit to determine the legitimate regulators of gaming businesses because they complained about multiple taxes and licensing fees paid to states and the federal government. 

In suit No FHC/L/CS/15992020, filed before Justice I.N Oweibo of the Lagos High Court, the judge ruled that the Federal Government should be the sole regulator of the gaming business, citing the Constitution as putting lottery in the exclusive list. The judge said only the National Assembly can legislate on lottery matters.  

However, on July 19, 2023, Justice Iniekenimi Oweibo of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court ruled that the Federal Government, through the National Assembly, had the exclusive right to legislate and control lottery activities in the country. This position was countered with another judgment by the Lagos High Court insisting that matters of lottery and one-chance betting were subjects under the residual list in the Constitution. By this, the judge held that Lagos had the right to regulate the sector. 

By a further amended originating summons marked SC/1/2008, the plaintiffs requested the apex court to declare that lottery is not one of the 68 items in respect of which the National Assembly has the exclusive vires to make laws under Part 1 of the Second Schedule of the Constitution (as amended).

Bookmakers Training Sessions

The Association of Nigeria Bookmakers (ANB) will carry out its usual anti-money laundering training this year with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML). Engagement between these government regulatory agencies and business owners in the gaming eco-system, particularly drawn from members of the trade groups-Association of Nigeria Bookmakers (ANB), the umbrella body for sports betting companies, Nigeria Licensed Lottery Operators Forum, Casino and Gaming Machine Operators Association of Nigeria began in 2022

ANB’s Executive Secretary, Bimpe Akingba, spelt out why the association needs to foster compliance amongst its members to present its operations as transparent, given the widely held view that gaming businesses are prone to be used as avenues by criminals attempting to turn ill-gotten wealth to clean money. She said the group will continue engaging with various regulatory authorities to ensure members are aware of their compliance obligations and stay compliant. She also pledged to continue engagement with the government at various levels to ensure a harmonized regulatory framework for the industry. According to her, there will also be increased activities to foster responsible gaming. 

Lottery Trust Fund Good Causes

In the first quarter of 2024, the National Lottery Trust Fund is set to host, at its headquarters in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Zephaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, members of the National Assembly, stakeholders in the gaming industry and leaders from various communities across the six geo-political zones of the country where the NLTF has made interventions in health care, water, education, sanitation and emergency relief.

The Executive Secretary of the NLTF, Dr. Bello Maigari, will facilitate the function at which a variety of equipment and materials will be provided to healthcare facilities and educational institutions, while completed motorized boreholes will be commissioned to improve access to portable and clean water in fulfilment of its primary mandate of deploying some percentage of revenue from a lottery and game of chance activities to good causes. 

Sports Betting West Africa Moves to Ghana

For eight years, Eventus International organisers of Sports Betting West Africa (SBWA) made Lagos, Nigeria, home, and the event, which features a gaming summit and exhibition, recorded outstanding success. The absence of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission at the seventh edition of the SBWA created some concern. However, the NLRC was saving the funds it usually spent on participating in the SBWA to plan its programme, which materialized as the International Gaming Conference last November. 

Last year, at its eighth edition in Lagos, Yudi Soetjiptadi, Managing Director of Eventus International, complained that the SBWA appeared to have lost some steam. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that for the ninth edition of the SBWA, operators, regulators and stakeholders in the gaming and lottery industry in the West African sub-region will go to Accra, Ghana, between August 21 and 23 to continue the sessions of stimulating conversations and enlivening exhibition associated with the SBWA. As Nigeria remains the biggest turf for sports betting in West Africa and many of the operators in the country also have a presence in Ghana, there is no doubt that Nigerians will feature prominently at the SBWA in Accra, Ghana.