Ghana introduces sticker system to tackle unlicensed operators
Enforcement teams will be on the ground to verify compliance, and operators without the official sticker could face sanctions.
Ghana.- The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has unveiled a sticker system to identify genuine lottery agents and clamp down on unlicensed operators. While addressing a press conference in Accra, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, NLA Director-General, said the initiative aligns with the Mahama administration’s broader reform agenda.
Abdulsalam explained that the measure is designed to reform, redirect and improve the Authority’s operations, with the goal of increasing the revenue channelled to the state. From September 1, 2025, all authorised lottery agents and writers will be required to display the sticker, enabling regulators to enforce compliance and ensure earnings are properly accounted for.
The move has received strong backing from the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG). Executive Secretary Kwaku Duah Tawiah called on agents to stop collaborating with unregistered operators, warning that anyone who does so risks penalties. He stressed that operators who have invested in licences should not allow illegitimate actors to profit unfairly from their work, adding that funds lost to illegal operations ultimately harm the country’s development.
According to Andrew Tuah, NLA Head of Operations, registration efforts for private agents and writers initially began in September 2024 but were put on hold due to technical setbacks. With renewed determination from the Director General, the process has resumed and is expected to be enforced fully from September this year. Tuah hailed the initiative as a breakthrough for the lottery sector, paving the way for a transparent, accountable and well-regulated system that can contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s development.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of long-standing concerns about illegal lottery activities draining public funds. Authorities believe the new sticker system, combined with stronger collaboration between the NLA, CLAAG and law enforcement agencies, will boost surveillance and compliance, making it easier to identify and penalise illegal operators.
Starting today (September 1), enforcement teams will be on the ground to verify compliance, and operators without the official sticker could face sanctions. The NLA hopes that with stakeholder cooperation, the new system will mark a turning point in restoring order and integrity to Ghana’s lottery industry.
