Steps to Becoming a Betting Agent in Nigeria

By WOBET On Sep 21, 2025

Betting business in Nigeria has grow very fast in the past few years. Almost everywhere you turn now, you will see a betting shop painted in green, blue or yellow with guys sitting and watching football while some are printing ticket. It has become one of the most popular way people try to make money or at least enjoy football. Because of this rush, many people have also see opportunity to make business from it, not just by betting themselves but by becoming a betting agent.

Being a betting agent simply mean you open shop and represent one betting company like Bet9ja, Betking, Sportybet or Merrybet. Customers come to your shop, they place bet, you print ticket for them, when they win you pay them and when they lose the company and you share the money. You act like the middle man between the betting company and the customer, and for every transaction that pass through your shop, you collect commission.

Now let us talk about how you can become a betting agent in Nigeria, the steps, the money involve, the requirements, the challenges you might face, and also the opportunities waiting.

Why people enter betting agency business

Some people might wonder, why are many Nigerians rushing to open bet shops. The answer is simple, the market is huge. Almost every young man in Nigeria love football, and betting has become part of that football culture. Every weekend, midweek, or even on weekdays, people are playing tickets. So if you are an agent, you know that customers will always come.

Another reason is that compared to many other business, starting a bet shop doesn’t need too much capital. You don’t need to import goods or start factory. With a small shop, one or two computers, printer and generator, you are good to go. The betting company will give you their platform, odds and even branding materials.

Also the money flow is steady. You don’t wait till end of the month before you see gain. Everyday when people place ticket, you are earning small percentage, and before the week end it can gather. Some companies even pay commission weekly.

Lastly, the chance to grow. Many agents start with one shop, after some months they open another one in another street, and before long they have network of shops.

The law and regulation part

Betting in Nigeria is not just anyhow business, it is regulated. There is National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) that cover the whole country, and then many states also have their own gaming authority like in Lagos, Rivers, Abuja, Oyo and others.

As agent, you don’t need to go and get licence by yourself, that one is for the betting company. What you need to make sure is that the company you are partnering with already have licence to operate in Nigeria. If not, you are taking risk.

Also, you must follow simple rules like don’t allow children under 18 to bet in your shop, put small poster about responsible gaming, and obey whatever rule your local government bring, like signage permit.

Steps to becoming a betting agent

1. Choose the company you want to represent

The first thing is to pick which bookmaker you want to work with. There are many of them in Nigeria now. The biggest ones are Bet9ja, BetKing, SportyBet, MerryBet, NairaBet, AccessBet and others.

Each of them have different system, different commission, different requirements. For example, BetKing promise commission up to 30% if your shop is performing well, while SportyBet give like 10 to 15%. Bet9ja own is different because the commission depends on how many games the customer play in one ticket. If it is just one game you earn small, if the ticket is long like 20 matches you earn bigger.

So you must check and decide which one is better for you.

2. Meet their requirements

Most betting companies in Nigeria ask for similar requirements before they can approve you as agent. Some of them are:

You must be 18 years and above.
You need a physical shop in good location.
Provide valid ID like national ID card, driver licence, or passport.
Proof of address like NEPA bill.
Shop photo.
Computer or laptop, printer, TV, stable internet and power.
Basic knowledge of computer.

3. Register your business name (optional)

Some agents operate without registering their shop, but if you want to look serious and also expand later, it is better to register with CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission). It doesn’t cost too much to register a business name. With this, you can even open bank account in your business name and avoid small wahala in future.

4. Apply as agent

Once you are ready, go to the bookmaker website, you will see agent registration form. Fill it with your detail, upload your ID, your utility bill, and the company will contact you.

They normally come and inspect your shop to see if it is good location and if you have the basic things needed. Some companies collect registration fee. For example:

BetKing agent deposit is about ₦25,000.
Bet9ja agent fee is around ₦50,000 to ₦80,000.
SportyBet charge ₦10,000 to ₦100,000 depending on area.

After that, if they approve you, you are now official agent.

5. Set up your shop

6. Start operation and follow the rules

Now your shop is ready, you can begin. Customers will come, place bet, and you print ticket for them. If they win you pay, if they lose you keep your commission. Always follow the rules of the betting company, don’t try to cheat, and don’t allow underaged people.

7. Promote and grow your business

Even if betting is popular, you still need to promote your shop. You can put big signboard outside, share flyers, sponsor small football competition, or even just pay attention to your customers and treat them well. One of the best way to grow is to always pay winnings on time. If people trust you, they will keep coming.

When your first shop is stable, you can open second shop and expand.

Example of agent system from popular companies

To make it more clear, let us look at some real examples of how the agent scheme work with big names in Nigeria.

BetKing – They pay up to 30% commission depending on your shop performance. Registration deposit is about ₦25,000. They expect you to have at least 3 laptops, 2 thermal printers, 3 TVs, internet and power backup. They also give you bonus on virtual games.

Bet9ja – Their commission is based on number of games on ticket. For example 1 game you earn like 1%, if the ticket has 14 games to 20 games you can earn up to 16%, if it is 26 to 40 games you can get 20%. Registration fee is ₦50,000 to ₦80,000. They also require ID, shop photo, and proof of address. They pay commission weekly.

SportyBet – They pay 10 to 15% weekly commission on sales. Registration fee can be ₦10,000 to ₦100,000. They require shop, computer, printer, internet, TV. They also don’t allow shops that are too close to each other, so your shop must have enough distance from existing agent.

Cost of starting

To open betting shop in Nigeria, you should budget between ₦750,000 and ₦1,200,000. It can be more if you are in big city like Lagos or Abuja.

Breakdown can look like this:

Registration / licence with company: ₦25,000 – ₦80,000
Shop rent: ₦120,000 – ₦450,000
Computers, printers, TVs, generator: ₦400,000 – ₦700,000
Branding, chairs, furniture: ₦80,000 – ₦120,000
Float for paying winners: ₦150,000 – ₦200,000
Internet and power monthly: ₦10,000 – ₦20,000

Challenges you may face

It is not all smooth. Betting shop business also has challenges. One of them is competition, because in some streets you can find 3 or 4 betting shops already. You have to work harder to attract customer.

Another challenge is electricity. Nigeria light problem is always there, so you must run generator which add cost. Internet too sometimes go off, and customers don’t like waiting.

There is also risk of fraud. Some customers try to play tricks, print fake slips or cause confusion. You have to be sharp. And don’t forget regulation, sometimes government bring new tax or licence fee.

Lastly, some people in the community may look at betting as bad influence, especially religious leaders. You need to manage that perception.

How to succeed

Choose a busy location.
Partner with a known bookmaker that customers trust.
Provide good service, pay winnings fast.
Keep your shop neat and attractive.
Always keep cash available for payout.
Promote your shop through local means.
Save and reinvest in your business.

Conclusion

Becoming a betting agent in Nigeria is one of the business opportunity that many young people are using to survive and grow. The process is not too hard, and with little capital you can join. All you need is a shop, some equipment, register with a bookmaker like Bet9ja, BetKing or SportyBet, and follow their conditions.

The profit may not make you millionaire in one week, but if you manage it well, give good service and expand gradually, it can become stable source of income. Football and sports betting in Nigeria is not going away anytime soon, in fact it is still growing. So if you are interested and ready to work, this is the right time to position yourself as agent in this booming industry.