Accurate as of 17 October 2026. On 12 October 2026, the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) gave mobile networks and value-added service (VAS) companies 30 days to check every gaming service on their platforms. Any service without a Lagos licence must be stopped. The networks must also hand over transaction and revenue records going back to November 2024, which the Authority will use to work out unpaid taxes. Most coverage has reported the order. This article explains what it means for operators and for the telecom partners that carry their products.
What happened
The public notice is addressed to mobile network operators, licensed VAS aggregators and VAS providers. It covers gaming offered to people in Lagos through USSD, SMS, short codes, mobile apps, carrier billing and other telecom channels. Within 30 days of the notice, they must:
- check whether each gaming operator on their platform holds a licence and is up to date on gaming tax;
- supply transaction, carrier-billing and revenue-share records for each gaming service, from 22 November 2024 to the date of the notice;
- stop taking on gaming operators that are not authorised in Lagos;
- suspend existing gaming services that are not licensed.
The notice is dated 12 October, so the 30 days run out on about 11 November 2026. After that, the LSLGA says it will issue statutory notices and take enforcement action.
Why Lagos can do this
The notice relies on the Supreme Court judgment of 22 November 2024 in Attorney-General of Lagos State & Ors v Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors (SC/1/2008). That judgment held that lotteries and games of chance fall under state law, not federal law. The look-back period starts on the day of that judgment.
The notice also makes a point that many operators have avoided: a licence or approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) does not give permission to offer gaming in Lagos. Running a service through a mobile network, aggregator or payment channel does not remove the need for a gaming licence. For how the Authority licenses remote operators, see our explainer on how Lagos regulates remote operators.
What it means for operators
1. Your telecom partner can now cut you off
For products that run over USSD, SMS or carrier billing, the mobile network is the only way to reach customers. Networks have been told to suspend unlicensed services, so a missing Lagos licence can close the product without any action against the operator itself. Operators that rely on these channels should expect their partners to ask for licence evidence before 11 November.
2. Tax arrears may reach back almost two years
The Authority says it will assess unpaid licence fees, gaming taxes, levies, the Good Causes Levy and other statutory payments from verified transaction data, adding penalties and interest where the Law allows. The data will come from the networks' own records, so operators will not be able to supply their own figures alone. An operator that treated the period after November 2024 as unregulated may face a bill covering about 23 months.
3. Directors can be held personally liable
The notice cites Section 101(5) of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law 2021. Where a company offence is committed with the consent or connivance of a director or principal officer, or through their neglect, that person can be guilty of the offence as well as the company. This applies to directors of telecom and VAS companies as well as gaming operators.
4. Being licensed in another state is not enough for Lagos
Because gaming is now a state matter, an operator licensed in another Nigerian state, or by the federal regulator, still needs Lagos authorisation to serve Lagos customers. For the federal picture, see who can legally power a sportsbook in Nigeria in 2026.
What to do before 11 November
| If you are… | Do this now |
|---|---|
| A gaming operator using USSD, SMS or carrier billing | Confirm your LSLGA licence covers every product and channel. Send proof to each network and aggregator before they ask. |
| An operator without a Lagos licence | Get Lagos legal advice on applying and on regularising your position. Plan for Lagos services to be suspended if no authorisation is in place. |
| Any operator active in Lagos since November 2024 | Reconcile your own transaction and revenue records with your telecom partners' data for the period, so you can check any assessment. |
| A VAS aggregator or mobile network | List every gaming service on your platform, collect licence evidence, and prepare records from 22 November 2024. Brief your directors on Section 101(5). |
What to watch next
- Whether networks and aggregators publish lists of the services they suspend after 11 November.
- The first arrears assessments, and whether operators challenge the look-back period.
- Whether other states copy the approach of making telecom partners enforce licensing.
For more on Nigeria's market, see our Nigeria hub. This article is for information, not legal advice. It is based on the LSLGA notice dated 12 October 2026, last checked on 17 October 2026.
