The Cross River State Government, through the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency, has declared Stake.com an unlicensed gaming operator in the state and other states under the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria.

The agency, in collaboration with the FSGRN, said Stake.com was not licensed by the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency or any of the federation’s member states to conduct gaming operations.

According to a public notice issued by the Director General of the agency, Michael Eja,in Calabar, the gaming platform allegedly failed to register, declare or remit applicable monthly gaming taxes and levies despite receiving no fewer than 10 formal compliance notices over the past two years from Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority a memeber state of the federation.

The regulators also cited the Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of Lagos State & Ors v. Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors (SC/1/2008), delivered on November 22, 2024, which they said affirmed the constitutional authority of states to regulate lotteries, betting and gaming.

The agency maintained that the judgment reinforced the requirement for gaming operators to obtain the appropriate state licence before offering gaming services within a state.

The Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency and the FSGRN said they had consequently commenced appropriate enforcement action against Stake.com, its directors and any payment companies, financial institutions, advertising platforms, influencers or other entities found to be facilitating its operations.

The regulators urged members of the public to discontinue wagering on Stake.com and patronise only duly licensed gaming operators.

They also called on banks, payment service providers, fintech companies, media organisations and digital advertising platforms to conduct appropriate due diligence and stop facilitating unlicensed gaming activities.

The agency said the regulatory action was aimed at protecting consumers, safeguarding minors, preserving market integrity and ensuring that gaming operators comply with applicable state laws, regulatory requirements and tax obligations.