Ghana lottery boss urges global cooperation to tackle illegal gambling
He noted that illegal gambling remains a major drain on public finances.
Ghana.- Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA) director-general, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, has lent his voice to the growing push for stronger international collaboration in the fight against illegal gambling at the 2026 European Lotteries (EL) Industry Days held in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Speaking during the four-day conference, Abdul-Salam called on lottery operators, regulators, and industry associations to deepen cooperation in tackling unlicensed gambling networks that continue to undermine regulated markets and divert significant public revenue.
He noted that illegal gambling remains a major drain on public finances across several jurisdictions, citing Ghana, Benin, and South Africa as key examples of markets affected by persistent illegal operations. According to data presented at the conference, South Africa loses more than US$30bn annually to illegal gambling, while Ghana records losses exceeding GH¢1bn (US$85m).
Abdul-Salam outlined ongoing regulatory responses aimed at curbing the trend, including the deployment of enhanced technology to detect fraud, upgrades to point-of-sale systems used by licensed retailers, stricter responsible gaming controls, and proposed amendments to strengthen enforcement under national lottery laws.
The event, held from June 7 to 10, brought together more than 200 delegates from Europe and Africa to discuss regulatory enforcement, responsible gaming, digital transformation, and wider industry challenges.
Illegal gambling dominated discussions throughout the forum, with participants sharing approaches to safeguarding regulated markets and improving compliance frameworks. Delegates also examined how digital tools can be leveraged to improve monitoring and enforcement efficiency.
African Lotteries Association Secretary-General Omar Skalli emphasised the shared challenges facing operators across both continents, describing the forum as an opportunity to exchange practical regulatory solutions and strengthen institutional cooperation.
The event concluded with policy discussions and member meetings aimed at deepening collaboration between African and European lottery regulators. Ghana’s National Lottery Authority has held observer status within the European Lotteries network since 2024.
