Stake has been declared an illegal gambling operator in Lagos and across the 24 Nigerian states represented by the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), as authorities intensify enforcement against betting companies operating without local approval.
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) has added Stake.com to its official list of unlicensed gaming companies, where the operator appears under Medium Rare N.V. The regulator says Stake has been offering gambling services without the licence required under Lagos State law.
The decision extends beyond Lagos through cooperation with the FSGRN, whose member states have moved to block Stake and treat its operations as unlawful. Nigerian authorities have also advised players to stop using the platform and instead gamble only with operators holding the necessary state licences.
According to the LSLGA, Stake received at least 10 formal compliance notices during the previous two years but failed to register its activities, report its gaming operations or pay the monthly gambling taxes and levies required by local authorities. Enforcement may also target companies and individuals supporting the platform, including payment providers, financial institutions, advertising services and influencers.
The regulator has separately urged banks, fintech companies, media businesses and digital advertising platforms to carry out compliance checks and stop facilitating gambling activity involving operators without state authorisation.
Stake’s international platform is operated by Medium Rare N.V. and holds a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence. However, the foreign licence does not replace the state-level authorisation demanded by Nigerian regulators. Stake’s own licensing page lists its Curaçao licence alongside separate local licences for regulated markets such as Brazil and Colombia.
The Nigerian action follows a wider restructuring of gambling regulation after the country’s Supreme Court reinforced the authority of individual states over lotteries and gaming. The FSGRN subsequently expanded cooperation between state regulators, including a reciprocal licensing framework intended to make multi-state compliance easier while preserving each state’s regulatory powers.
The intervention comes despite Stake expanding its regulated international footprint during 2026. The company has secured licences in several new markets, but the Nigerian authorities maintain that it does not currently possess the approvals necessary to operate legally within the affected states.
The LSLGA said its enforcement campaign is intended to protect consumers and minors, preserve the integrity of the regulated gambling market and ensure that operators meet their licensing and tax obligations.