According to reports from 2022, the Nigerian hospitality and tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Africa. More specifically, the country’s tourism and hospitality industries have grown at a great rate of 12% in just two years, and the same exponential growth is expected to continue in the years to come. Compared to other African countries with well-developed tourism and hospitality industries, Nigeria is side by side with Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius, and Tanzania.
Back in 2018, overall room revenue in these countries increased by 7.4%, while one year before, room revenue increased by around 1.9%. Kenya, Mauritius, and Nigeria also had the fastest-growing tourism and hospitality markets, with significant increases of 20%, according to the latest financial reports.
In the next five years, Nigeria is expected to become the fastest-growing tourism and hospitality market, thanks to new hotels that will open their doors soon. The growing popularity of online casinos is yet another factor that positively influences the country’s thriving tourism and hospitality markets.
The Best Online Casinos in Nigeria and Their Impact on the Hospitality Industry
In Nigeria, most gambling activities, including online gaming, are perfectly legal. BestCasinoSitesNigeria.com will give you a complete overview of the best online casinos in Nigeria. With online gambling being perfectly legal, Nigerians have many different sites at their disposal. These are mostly owned and operated by international companies that also serve players in other countries.
Nigerian online casinos that deserve your attention are licensed by reputable agencies, employ the best security measures, and offer appropriate and safe gambling options. Top casino sites in Nigeria are also known for providing generous welcome and other bonuses and, of course, rich gambling libraries. With legal online casinos Nigeria offers, players can rest assured that they are getting the best value for their money.
When discussing the legality of gambling in Nigeria, we have to mention the main iGaming regulatory framework, and that is the National Lottery Act of 2005. According to this act, the Nigerian Lottery Commission is responsible for regulating the iGaming and land-based gambling industry. Operators must follow the rules and regulations as mentioned in the National Lottery Act, including Nigerian online casinos that are owned and operated by non-Nigerian companies.
This leads us to the main topic, and that is how the Nigerian tourism and hospitality industries benefit from Nigerian casinos. Tourism and hospitality markets are crucial parts of the Nigerian economy. According to this report by the World Bank on the Nigerian tourism industry, the country was visited by over 6,1 million people in 2010. These numbers dropped to 3,7 and 4,6 million in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In 2013, Nigeria was seen by over 4 million people, while 6 million people visited the country in 2017.
Nigerian Land-Based Casinos
Most years, Nigeria has over 4 million tourists and many of these visit fully integrated casino resorts that Nigeria has. The Nigerian hospitality and tourism markets offer better working opportunities and generate enormous revenues, and hotels play a crucial role in this equation.
More specifically, resort-based hotels offer world-class gambling entertainment and fine dining. The same is true when it comes to online operators, although live casinos also provide premium nightclubs and other forms of entertainment for those visiting.
Many tourists visiting Nigeria enjoy gaming activities at top casino sites in Nigeria. Online casino gambling trends driving the country’s tourism and hospitality industries are greater security and safety measures that operators embrace and greater digital adoption across different regions. As in most other countries, sports betting dominates the Nigerian gambling market but online and land-based gambling activities are also prevalent.
This leads us to Nigerian land-based resorts. As of today, Lagos and Abuja are the major gambling hubs for both locals and tourists. One of the most visited venues of this kind is the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino. This is a five-star hotel located in Lagos on Victoria Island. The venue opened its doors in 1960. It was owned and operated by the Victoria Beach Hotel until 2007, when it became a property of Sun International.
The hotel features one hundred and fifty lavishly-decorated rooms located on four floors. The venue also has convention and business centers, as well as a massive banquet hall, outdoor pool, and fitness center. The gaming floor is packed with slots and classic table games, including American Roulette, Classic Blackjack, and others. The growing popularity of online casinos in the country has boosted the venue’s attendance among fans of gambling.
Another impressive gambling resort in Nigeria is the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Casino. The casino and hotel are located around eight kilometers from the International Airport Lagos. The venue is operated by Marriot International. The Sheraton Lagos Hotel has two casinos, which are packed with hundreds of slots and other games. The Golden Sun Casino is another popular gambling for locals and tourists.
Like the online sites, all land-based venues operating in the country are monitored by the Nigerian Lottery Commission. With almost no iGaming restrictions, more sites are expected to pop up in the country, and this is a win-win situation for both markets, the iGaming, and the hospitality market.