Ghana’s NLA and lottery retailers reaffirm commitment to industry growth during stakeholder discussions
Meeting addresses operational challenges, illegal lotto concerns and ongoing efforts to strengthen Ghana’s lottery sector.
Ghana.- Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA) and lottery retailers have reaffirmed their commitment to working together to support the continued growth of the country’s lottery industry following talks on operational challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Key issues affecting Ghana’s lottery sector, including board representation, illegal lotto operations and obsolete terminals, were highlighted during a meeting on June 18 between representatives of the Greater Accra Association of Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), led by chairman Justice Appiah, and NLA director-general Mohammed Abdul-Salam and his management team.
According to the NLA, the LMCs raised issues affecting their operations, including the lack of representation on the NLA Governing Board, the impact of online gaming on lottery sales and the dissolution of the Lotto Court.
Other concerns raised included inadequate advertising, the unauthorised use of the NLA logo by Private Lotto Operators (PLOs), obsolete terminals in the market and network connectivity challenges.
Responding to the concerns, Abdul-Salam said management was working tirelessly to address the challenges confronting the business. He explained that representation of LMCs on the NLA Governing Board would require amendments to the existing legal framework and indicated that discussions regarding amendments to Act 722 were taking place at a higher level.
Addressing concerns over obsolete terminals, an NLA legal department representative said implementation of the Fidelity Partnership for 5,000 state-of-the-art point-of-sale (POS) terminals was approximately 95 per cent complete.
Abdul-Salam also highlighted the impact of illegal lottery activity on the sector, stating: “Illegal lotto operations pose a greater threat to the business than online gaming.”
He assured the LMCs that management was taking steps to curb illegal operations, while concerns relating to advertising would be addressed by the Marketing and Corporate Affairs Department. The LMCs also acknowledged the prompt payment of commissions and winnings by the NLA.
The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to closer collaboration as they work to address industry challenges, strengthen lottery operations and curb illegal lotto activities.
