The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has signed a partnership agreement with the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), granting the NLA the sole power to regulate, manage and supervise the operations of VAG lottery.
Per the agreement, the Authority has granted licences to five private sector lotto operators under Act 844. The operators are Lotto and Lotteries Company Limited, Alpha Lotto Limited, From Home Company Limited, Vision 2000 Company Limited and Rand Lotto.
A statement from the Public Relations Unit of NLA indicated that “the licensed Private Sector Lotto Operators would operate lottery under Act 844 regulated by the National Lottery Authority (NLA) in accordance with Act 722.”
To this end, “all Licensed Private Sector Lotto Operators, together with their Agents, Sub-agents and ‘Writers'(Retailers) shall use Point of Sale Terminals to sell all lottery products as part of the Terms and conditions of their respective Contracts.”
Each licensed private sector lotto operator, again, “shall obtain a Security Identification Embossment to affix on the respective Lotto Kiosks of their Agents, Sub-agents and ‘Writers'(Retailers).”
“The Licensed Private Sector Lotto Operators would operate strictly in accordance with the Terms and Conditions stated in their contracts,” the statement added.
Caution
The NLA, however, cautioned that, henceforth, any lotto operator, agent, sub-agent and ‘writer'(retailer) pays outrageous commission, above the approved commission by the NLA, would be dealt with in accordance with Act 722, L. I. 1948 and Section 22 of Act 844.
It further reiterated that it is unlawful under Act 722, L.I. 1948 and Section 22 of Act 844 to manufacture, distribute, sell or retail lottery products and services without the Authority’s authorisation.
“Accordingly, all those engaged in illegal lottery operations would be arraigned before the lotto courts across the country inaugurated by Justice Sophia Akufo, the former Chief Justice of Ghana,” it added.
The statement said the establishment of the lotto courts was aimed at ensuring the swift prosecution of lotto-related offences, compliance, and enforcement of the Act 722, L.I. 1948 and Section 22 of Act 844.
The National Lottery Authority said it will soon publish the list of licensed lotto marketing companies, under Act 722, adding that the second batch of licensed private sector lotto operators, under Act 844, will be published accordingly.
