Online Gambling Payment Methods for Nigeria

Renowned for its vast oil reserves and enormous population, the West African country of Nigeria has one of the biggest and ever-growing economies in Africa. Although like many African states Nigeria has suffered from colonialism, civil wars and various dictatorships, its 2011 presidential election was considered its most fair and democratic to date. So it’s no great surprise Nigeria’s gambling industry is considered one of the Africa’s most liberal.

It has to be said, however, that Nigeria’s gambling laws and regulations can be confusing to the untrained eye on account of there being so many old and new Acts and Codes that combined allow and disallow various forms of gambling. Permitted forms include betting pools, horse racing, skill-based card games and lotteries, all state sanctioned, of course. Locally owned and licensed online sportsbooks are allowed and very popular in Nigeria.

Nigerians can, however, still play at off-shore gambling sites if they choose. That said, a large number of remote gambling fans in Nigeria prefer locally-owned, run and licensed online sports betting sites, of which there are many. Most of these online bookmakers process payments, wagers and withdrawals in Nigerian Naira, and accept a wide range of Nigerian-friendly banking options, the most popular and common you’ll find below:

Globally, most online gambling fans fund their online betting or gambling accounts with a credit or debit card as most seem to have one or more – Nigeria included. The process is quick, convenient and extremely easy (there are never any annoying queues online or out-of-order ATMs), as you’ll see demonstrated by the simple steps below:

1. Ensure you have a valid and funded Visa, Interswitch Verve or Naira MasterCard.
2. Login to your online Nigerian sportsbook and go to the Cashier or Banking page.
3. Click to open the Payment or Deposit options menu.
4. Select Pay with ATM card (if you’re using a computer) or WebPay (if you’re using a mobile phone or device).
5. Enter the amount you want to deposit into your sportsbook account, and after submitting you’ll be directed to a secure and encrypted payment gateway screen.
6. On that screen fill out all the required card information including your secret PIN, before submitting.
7. You should be directed to a new page which will give you a status update i.e. let you know whether your transaction went through successfully or not.
8. If successful, you should be directed back to your sportsbook where you should see your newly deposited funds reflected in your account balance, ready to use.

If you prefer to fund your Nigerian online bookmaker account via a direct bank deposit, you can do so at a number of tried, trusted and reputable Nigerian banks. These include but are not limited to UBA, Union Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, FCMB, First Bank, Access Bank and Sterling Bank. Simply follow the quick and easy instructions listed below:

1. Make sure you have all the correct banking information of your chosen online sports betting site on hand.
2. Visit the nearest branch of your preferred Nigerian bank.
3. Fill out a deposit slip with all the necessary information including the sportsbook name (like ‘Nairabet’), your unique sportsbook account number or ID, the depositor name (your name) and the amount you would like to deposit.
4. After you hand in your completed deposit slip with your cash, the bank cashier will credit your sportsbook account and your funds should clear and reflect instantly.

Not all Nigeria online sportsbooks have land counterparts, but those that do normally allow you to make payments with them in person which they convert to online credits you can use to place your bets over the internet. Below we’ve laid out the steps you’ll likely have to take if you want to fund your online sportsbook using this top Nigerian payment method:

1. Register for an account (if you haven’t already) at your Nigerian online bookmaker.
2. Visit the nearest land outlet of your online sports betting site.
3. Present the sportsbook agent with your unique sportsbook-issued ID number and the amount of cash you want to deposit. (Remember, there is no need to give the agent your sportsbook password. Keep that to yourself at all times).
4. Once the agent has counted your Naira, they should proceed to fund your online account immediately.
5. To ensure your funds have been successfully transferred, check your sportsbook account balance on your smart phone or device before you leave the shop.

If you’re a fan of ATM payments because they’re so plentiful and convenient, then this Nigerian online gambling payment method is perfect for you. All you need is a bank card (with funds), your card PIN, your unique sportsbook player ID number and the special ATM monetary codes used by your sportsbook and then follow the easy steps below:

1. Go to your closest ATM, insert your card and enter your personal PIN.
2. Select Quickteller from the menu (or ‘Fund Other Wallets’, ‘Fund Wallet’ or ‘Pay Bills’ if your ATM doesn’t have a Quickteller option).
3. When the screen with a list of merchants opens, choose ‘Others.’
4. You will now be required to enter a merchant number or code. (If your online sportsbook accepts this payment method, they should have a number of codes you can use that correspond with amounts of Naira, usually in increments of 1000). Enter the code that corresponds to the amount you want to deposit and then submit it.
5. You should now be asked to enter your sportsbook player ID number, after which your name should appear on the screen. (If another name appears instead of yours, immediately cancel the transaction and start again because it means there is an error with the information you have provided).
6. If your name appears, double check and confirm that all information and amounts you input is correct. If it is, go ahead and authorise the transfer and your online sportsbook account should credited instantly.

If you have an account with the acclaimed GT Bank (Guaranty Trust Bank), you can transfer funds into your Nigerian online bookmaker account online or via mobile. But before we run you through the quick and easy process, you should be aware that while you likely won’t be charged fees by your sportsbook, GT Bank will likely charge you 100 Naira per deposit.

Here are the steps to follow when making GT Bank online deposits in Nigeria:

1. Make sure that your Nigerian sportsbook accepts GT Bank as a banking option, and that you have your unique online sportsbook user ID on hand.
2. Login to your GT Bank internet banking profile with your unique GT Bank 11-digit user ID and password.
3. Once logged, in select ‘Payments & Collections’ from the menu and then ‘Other Payments.’
4. Scroll down until you find the option that matches your sportsbook (or associated company) and select it.
5. Select ‘Make New Payments’.
6. You will be directed to a page where you must enter your unique online sportsbook user ID and the amount you want to deposit, and then confirm all the details you have entered are correct.
7. Next, accept the bank charge, choose which GT Bank account you want debited (if you have multiple accounts), answer your secret question correctly and finally enter your token code (if applicable) before submitting.
8. You’ll be instantly notified if your transaction is a success by way of an online receipt.
9. Check your sports betting site account to see that your transferred funds reflect.

PayCom is a popular online payment method favoured by many Nigerians and accepted at an increasing number of online sportsbooks because it’s so fast, simple and feeless to use. You need a PayCom account (with funds in it), your unique sportsbook player ID and a mobile phone or a computer with internet access and then you can proceed as follows:

1. Login to the MyPay site using the phone number and password you signed up with.
2. Select the ‘Send Money’ option from the menu.
3. Select your chosen sportsbook from the menu.
4. Enter your unique sportsbook player ID and the sum you want to transfer.
5. Confirm all the details you entered are correct, enter your PIN and finally select ‘Send Money.’
6. You’ll be instantly notified if your transaction is a success by way of an online receipt.
7. Confirm that your newly deposited funds are reflecting in your Nigerian sports book account.