Responsible Gambling

We are Committed to Safe Betting

CompleteSports is a sports news site and does not operate as a bookmaker and will never encourage anyone to view gambling as a way to solve financial problems, but because we provide up-to-date sports news, review bookmaker sites, and provide match previews, we are committed to promoting safe betting amongst Nigerian punters.

As you bet on sports, you should note that betting involves risk, and you may not always win, so you should only bet with money you can afford to lose.

Rules to Stay Safe While Betting

To enjoy gambling and stay safe at the same time, we recommend that you follow the rules we have outlined below.

• Before you log in to your betting account, have a preset amount you want to gamble with and be disciplined enough not to spend more than that. The moment you get to the set limit, stop betting.
• You should view gambling as a form of entertainment and not a source of income. It’s not an investment scheme that guarantees return.
• Losses are part of betting, so you should expect them. If you place a bet and it loses, you shouldn’t try to double your stake to recover losses; it doesn’t always end well. You’ll likely lose more money that way.
• Betting can be time-consuming and addictive, so set a time that you want to spend betting. It can be daily or weekly, and stick to it. Don’t let it eat into your social life.
• As much as you can, avoid placing bets when you’re under the influence of a substance or not emotionally stable. This will affect your judgment and lead to you making irrational decisions.

Signs You’re Likely to Have a Gambling Problem

As earlier stated, gambling can be addictive, so the earlier you’re able to spot that you have gambling issues, the sooner you can start working on getting help. Just in case you’re not sure you’re having gambling issues, ask yourself the following questions.

Why Underage Are Not Allowed To Gamble

In Nigeria, it’s strictly forbidden to participate in betting if you’re less than the age of 18. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission mandates that bookmakers follow this strict rule and request KYC verification from players.

In accordance with this law, if you have minors around, we recommend that you use parental control software to keep them off gambling sites. Also, you should never let a minor make use of your details to create accounts on gambling sites.

Responsible Gambling Tools to Help You Stay in Control

Every NLRC-licensed bookmaker in Nigeria has responsible gambling tools integrated into their system to help you stay in control as you gamble. These tools include:

• Wager Limit:
  This tool allows you to place a limit on the amount of money you want to gamble with. You can set daily, weekly, or monthly limits. Once the limit is reached, you’ll not be allowed to place further bets until the time frame has elapsed.
• Deposit Limits:
  This allows you to have control over the amount you deposit into a betting site. You can set daily, weekly, or monthly limits on how you want to deposit. Once the limit is reached, you won’t be able to make further deposits until the agreed timeframe is met.
• Time-Outs (Cooling-Off Periods):
  This is the tool that you can use to temporarily stay off betting. You can use the time-out tool to stay off gambling for 24 hours, a week, or even a month. Once this is set, you cannot access your account until the time is up.
• Self-Exclusion:
  If you know you’re having gambling issues and want to stay off for a long time, this is the tool. You can choose to use this tool to stay off betting sites permanently or off for a period of six months to a year.

If you really want to self exclude yourself from every gambling site in Nigeria, then we have good news for you. In August 2025, the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) launched SafePlay. SafePlay is a self-exclusion portal that allows you to voluntarily exclude yourself from licensed gambling sites in Lagos State. So instead of self excluding yourself from individual gambling sites, you can just do it all at once from SafePlay.