Staff of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), through their union, the Financial and Business Services Employees Union (FBSEU of NLA) is calling on the government to intervene urgently in what they describe as a “deliberate private capture” of the state-owned lottery sector, facilitated through questionable third-party contracts and licenses.
In a 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 demanded an immediate suspension and comprehensive review of all third-party contracts and licenses awarded to Private Lotto Operators (PLOs) over the past six years.
According to the union, these agreements contravene the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), and have driven the Authority into severe financial and operational distress. They claim the entry of PLOs has coincided with a significant drop in revenue from NLA’s Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs), estimating a market share loss of nearly 50% to online platforms and PLOs, translating to over GH₵250 million in revenue losses between 2017 and 2024.
The union attributes this decline to the proliferation of PLOs and the erosion of traditional Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), many of whom have faced job losses as a result. At the centre of the storm is KEED Ghana Limited (KGL), operators of the NLA’s 5/90 online lottery, which the union accuses of breaching Act 722 by diverting lottery proceeds into private accounts, independently paying out winnings, and withholding key financial data from the NLA.
A particular concern is the previous NLA Board’s decision to grant KGL a 25-year exclusive license to operate online lotto a move the union describes as shocking and detrimental to the Authority’s autonomy and financial health.
The petition also names Bluestar Lotto, Alpha Lotto, and Luma Technologies, alleging they were wrongly presented as technical service providers but were in fact granted PLO licenses. This, the union argues, has resulted in obsolete infrastructure at the NLA and alienation of experienced LMCs.
The union warns that unless swift and decisive action is taken including the reconstitution of the Governing Board with individuals who possess institutional knowledge the NLA faces the threat of total collapse.
They stated that, they “will stop at nothing” to safeguard the sustainability of the NLA, even if it means staging mass protests or suspending lotto draws to protect the national interest and staff welfare.
