Staff of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), through their union, the Financial and Business Services Employees Union (FBSEU of NLA), have raised alarm over what they describe as an ongoing “deliberate private capture” of the state-owned lottery industry.
In a strongly worded petition to the Office of the Attorney General and the newly appointed Director General of the NLA, the union is calling for immediate government intervention to halt what they believe is the systematic erosion of the Authority’s mandate through questionable third-party contracts and licensing arrangements.
At the heart of the union’s concerns is the rapid proliferation of Private Lotto Operators (PLOs), whose contracts and licenses, granted over the past six years, are said to violate the provisions of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722). According to the union, these agreements have not only undermined the legal framework that governs public lottery operations but have also drained the Authority’s financial resources and crippled its operational capacity.
The union argues that the NLA, once a highly profitable institution, has seen a dramatic decline in revenue due to the dominance of online platforms and third-party operators. Revenue from the NLA’s traditional Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs) has dwindled significantly, with an estimated GH₵250 million lost in potential income between 2017 and 2024. This revenue shortfall has had a ripple effect, leading to widespread job losses among Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), who have historically formed the backbone of NLA’s nationwide operations.
Central to the controversy is KEED Ghana Limited (KGL), the company responsible for managing the NLA’s popular 5/90 games on digital platforms. The union accuses KGL of operating far outside the legal definition of a Lotto Marketing Company. They allege that KGL holds lottery proceeds in private accounts, pays winnings without routing them through the NLA, and has refused to share critical revenue data with the Authority. More alarmingly, the union claims that the previous NLA Board quietly granted KGL a 25-year exclusive license to run online lotto — a move they say threatens the Authority’s autonomy and long-term survival.
The petition also names Bluestar Lotto, Alpha Lotto, and Luma Technologies as companies that were ostensibly contracted as technical service providers but were in fact given direct licenses to operate as private lotto entities. This arrangement, the union says, has left the NLA with outdated systems and pushed out experienced LMCs, further weakening the institution.
The union is demanding the immediate suspension and review of all third-party agreements, a comprehensive audit of licensing practices, and the establishment of a new NLA Governing Board made up of individuals with a deep understanding of the Authority’s history and operations. Without swift and decisive action, the union warns, the NLA could face total collapse.
In a firm declaration of intent, the union vowed to “stop at nothing” to protect the institution’s integrity and ensure the welfare of its staff. This includes possible industrial actions such as protests or the suspension of lotto draws if their concerns are not addressed.
