Ghana NLA sets end-of-July deadline to end paper-based lottery staking as full digitalisation gathers pace
The National Lottery Authority is ending pen-and-paper lottery staking by the end of July after signing an agreement with Fidelity Bank to modernise lottery operations through electronic Point of Sale (POS) terminals.
Ghana.- Ghana is accelerating the digitalisation of its lottery sector, with the National Lottery Authority (NLA) announcing that paper-based lottery staking will end by the end of July as it moves to electronic Point of Sale (POS) terminals.
The NLA and Fidelity Bank signed an agreement on July 21 to modernise lottery operations through the rollout of Point of Sale (POS) machines, marking another step in the Authority’s efforts to modernise lottery operations, improve revenue generation for the state and strengthen regulatory oversight.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, director-general Mohammed Abdul-Salam said, according to MyJoyOnline: “By the end of July, no one should be seen using pen and paper. We need to compel people to stake through the electronic equipment.”
Abdul-Salam said the move forms part of the Authority’s efforts to improve revenue generation and strengthen enforcement, adding: “The ultimate aim is to ensure more money comes to the system and generate revenue for the state. We will enforce regulations when we get the machines.”
As part of the agreement, the NLA announced that the instant win payment limit at POS terminals will increase from GH¢1,200 (US$104) to GH¢30,000 (US$2,590). The arrangement also allows winners of larger qualifying prizes to receive immediate payments through Fidelity Bank, with the bank settling the winnings upfront before being reimbursed by the NLA under the agreed arrangement.
The NLA said the initiative is expected to improve customer experience while helping the Authority remain competitive as it modernises the country’s lottery sector.
From planning to rollout
Abdul-Salam said previous attempts to modernise the lottery sector had not succeeded, prompting the NLA to adopt a private-sector partnership model to provide modern POS machines for Lotto Marketing Companies across the country.
He said: “Having learnt from past attempts, we thought that the best thing is to invite a private partnership to let them do investments in the machines, so that our Lotto Marketing Companies can compete favourably in the market.”
He added that the agreement followed nearly a year of technical assessments, commercial negotiations and operational planning to replace ageing lottery terminals and unreliable 2G connectivity with modern POS devices and improved network infrastructure.
The agreement builds on the strategic partnership announced by the NLA and Fidelity Bank earlier this year to modernise lottery operations through digital technology, including the planned deployment of Android-powered POS terminals across the country.
The latest developments mark the implementation of the NLA’s wider digitalisation strategy, following Abdul-Salam’s announcement in April that the Authority planned to fully digitise all lottery sales by the third quarter of 2026. With paper-based lottery staking set to end this month, the rollout of POS machines represents a major step towards creating a more transparent, efficient and digitally enabled lottery sector.
