KEY POINTS
- Cross River strengthens its crackdown on illegal betting operators.
- New law empowers the agency to sanction offenders.
- Partnership boosts player safety and investor confidence.
The Cross River State Government has launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal betting operators, in a move aimed at cleaning up the state’s gaming sector and protecting players from online fraud.
Director-General of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency, Michael Eja, said the agency’s partnership with a major search engine now gives it broader powers to trace, delist, and sanction unlicensed betting platforms.
Cross River intensifies action on illegal betting operators
Eja said the agency had long faced difficulty regulating digital operators without a physical presence in the state. That gap, he noted, has been bridged with the new Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025, which allows collaboration with major online platforms.
“Before this law, we had no legal backing or technical means to act against online offenders,” he said. “Now, we can request content removal and pursue sanctions against violators.”
New law strengthens fight against illegal betting operators
The partnership empowers the agency to block unauthorised advertisements, delist fraudulent operators, and prosecute defaulting companies. Legitimate firms, Eja said, can now advertise freely while illegal ones face blacklisting.
Moreover he described the policy as a “win-win” protecting players from scams and boosting investor confidence. “Our job is to monitor, enforce, and ensure only compliant operators thrive,” he said. He also added that the enforcement aligns with the government’s broader drive for transparency and fair play in the gaming sector. Finally he said “Calabar is not just a business hub, It’s a place to live, invest, and thrive.”
