NLA staff demand government action over alleged private takeover of lottery operations

Staff of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), represented by their union — the Financial and Business Services Employees Union (FBSEU of NLA) — are calling for immediate government intervention, raising alarm over what they describe as a “deliberate private capture” of the state-run lottery sector through questionable third-party contracts and licensing deals.

In a formal petition addressed to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, as well as the newly appointed Director General of the NLA, the union is demanding the immediate suspension and comprehensive review of all third-party licenses and contracts awarded to Private Lotto Operators (PLOs) over the past six years.

According to the union, these agreements not only breach the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), but have also caused severe financial and operational damage to the NLA — once considered one of the nation’s thriving state enterprises.

The petition notes a dramatic reduction in revenue generated from the NLA’s Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs), a drop the union attributes to the emergence and dominance of Private Lotto Operators and online platforms.

The union estimates that the NLA has lost nearly 50% of its market share, translating to over GH₵250 million in revenue losses between 2017 and 2024. These shortfalls, they claim, have led to massive layoffs among Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), long considered vital partners in NLA’s operations.

Central to the union’s concerns is KEED Ghana Limited (KGL), operators of the NLA’s 5/90 online lottery games. The union accuses KGL of operating in violation of Act 722 by bypassing the defined responsibilities of a Lotto Marketing Company. Allegations include maintaining lottery proceeds in private accounts, independently disbursing winnings, and withholding crucial revenue data from the NLA.

The petition also reveals that the previous NLA Board granted KGL an exclusive 25-year license to operate online lottery games — a move the union describes as both “shocking and damaging” to the Authority’s independence and long-term viability.

In addition to KGL, the union points to other companies such as Bluestar Lotto, Alpha Lotto, and Luma Technologies. They allege these firms were falsely introduced as technical service providers but were instead issued licenses to act as PLOs, leading to a deterioration of the NLA’s infrastructure and alienation of longstanding LMCs.

The union warns that unless swift measures are taken — including the appointment of a new Governing Board comprising individuals with strong institutional memory — the NLA may face total collapse.

In a strong concluding statement, the union made clear their resolve: they “will stop at nothing” to ensure the NLA’s survival and the protection of both national interest and staff welfare. Potential actions could include industrial protests or even the suspension of lottery draws.

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