According to data by Statista, by 2023-2027, the Nigerian online casino market is estimated to grow by 9.3%, resulting in a market volume of $312.90 in 2027. The popularity and growth of the mobile online casinos market in Nigeria are because these casinos are easily accessible from mobile devices, and over 100 million Nigerians are connected to the internet. Still, more so, these casinos offer bigger bonuses.
Online & mobile gambling in Nigeria
Between 2008 and 2010, sports betting was the most popular form of betting in Nigeria. There are over 40 sports betting sites with over 60 million active users. The case is the same with mobile casinos in Nigeria. In previous times, before the early and late 2000s, most casinos were land-based. They were only in major cities like Lagos and Abuja. The Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos had the most prominent casino.
However, over time, the affordability and popularity of mobile phones and broadband internet subscriptions led to a massive increase in internet users, leading to the rise in bettors gambling in mobile casinos.
Why are mobile casinos becoming popular?
As smartphone ownership expands across Nigeria on the back of more affordable prices, local gamblers have a wide selection of mobile casino apps to pick from. Gamers now prefer playing games on their mobile phones. Gaming with smartphones is by far the most popular platform of gaming today, and here’s why:
- Mobility and convenience
When you gamble with a mobile device, you can play on the go, meaning you can play games anywhere, anytime you feel like – your mobile device is almost always with you, even when you are on the move.
Also, many mobile casinos now offer players instant play features, i.e., you can play games instantly without downloading software as you do with desktops and personal computers. It’s as simple as visiting your web browser, logging in/registering, making a deposit, and playing games. Lots of gamers prefer mobile casinos because it’s a convenient way to play.
- Mobile Gaming Bonuses
Because most bettors game on their mobile devices, Casinos offer special bonuses for mobile gamblers. These bonuses are tailored for mobile gamblers, and it’s meant to incentivise gamers; this makes gambling exciting for players.
- Safety and Privacy
When gambling with a mobile device, you don’t have to worry about safety and privacy because your passwords are safely stored in your device, as long as you lock your device with a security code. Also, smartphones are private; since only you use your device, it’s a secure means to gamble, unlike desktops that users often share.
Most mobile casinos use encryption technology to safeguard your data, like your personal and financial information, so no one except you can access them; this is not the case with all casino desktop software.
Mobile casinos seen as the future of gaming in Nigeria
As the gambling industry grows, new technologies are used to make gambling in mobile casinos fun. Mobile gaming is seen as the future of gaming in Nigeria because it’s affordable, convenient and easily accessible anywhere, anytime. All they need is a mobile device- a smartphone, tablet, Augmented and Virtual reality headsets – and an internet connection, all of which are easily accessible to an average Nigerian gambler.
In time, players will use VR and AR headsets to gamble in an immersive environment, using a 3D avatar where they can interact with other players virtually by talking as if they were together, thus making mobile gambling more social and interactive. With Virtual and augmented reality, players can bet on virtual poker tables displayed virtually in their own space with other players and dealers as if they’re in a real casino.
With AR gaming, players can play slot games on virtual machines in their living room, which are 3D projected virtual slot machines. VR and AR gambling differs from live gaming, which is done via video call. Instead, players will play games and interact in the same virtual world like it’s real life.
As most gamers want to make fast deposits and withdrawals, promoting a more enjoyable gambling experience, they will use cryptocurrency as a means of payment; the decentralised system of cryptocurrency makes it faster and cheaper to transfer money. Soon, cryptocurrency will be a popular payment method for mobile gaming instead of traditional money.
Lastly, mobile casinos will use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to create AI models that can learn and understand player preferences and then use that data to offer customised games and gameplay based on player priorities.
Again, with AI-powered chatbots, players can solve gaming, payment or other issues without talking to a human customer representative about problems or disputes. Instead, they would speak to AI bots or a virtual customer support agent to solve their issues.
Conclusion
Mobile casinos will be a dominant platform for gambling in Nigeria because players want to gamble in an immersive environment without going to traditional casinos. For them, it’s convenient, accessible, and less expensive than a conventional casino.
Also, as AR and VR headsets become dominant and cheap, players would gamble with those devices to enjoy mobile gaming in an immersive way. Likewise, enjoy personalized mobile gaming and fast payment processing done in seconds, using AI, Machine learning, and blockchain technology for a seamless gaming experience packed with many rewards and bonuses.