Michael Eja, the Director General of Cross Rivers State Lottery and Gaming Agency, has revealed that an estimated 60 million Nigerians engage in gambling activities daily.

This staggering figure shows the rapid growth of the gambling industry in Nigeria, which is currently valued between N500 billion and N600 billion. Despite this impressive valuation, Eja noted that "over 90 percent of the potential of the gambling industry has not been tapped."

Eja made these remarks during the launch of a new sports betting platform, Woskybet, in Abuja. He highlighted the revenue generated by the industry, citing Lagos State alone as having produced $243 million in revenue last year.

This indicates a burgeoning understanding and acceptance of gambling within the country. However, a major challenge remains: the lack of tax contributions from gambling centers to the national treasury.

The Federal Government is actively working to address this issue by upgrading platforms and integrating operators into the state's tax system.

Eja emphasized, "The government is doing its best... gradually we’re beginning to bring them in." These efforts are part of broader governmental actions aimed at ensuring regulatory compliance and fiscal responsibility, including pursuing lottery operators for unpaid billions and initiating tax collections from gaming businesses.