The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lottery operators

  • Reps condemn lottery operators for N1.5 tr loss

    • Threaten licence withdrawal

    The House of Representatives has expressed disappointment with the inability of the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to regulate the sector effectively.

    There are 21 licensed operators  currently running the sector in the country following the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The lawmakers blamed the loss of over N1.493 trillion by the country on the failure of the Commission to carry out its responsibilities diligently.

    The House has consequently threatened lottery  operators found culpable of non remittance of their dues with the withdrawal of their licenses.

    The Commission has however cited lack of effective regulation in the industry as a major contributory factor for the abysmal revenue drive.

    The acting Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Bello Maigari, while appearing before House Committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs regretted that the sector has over the years failed to meet its set revenue  target.

    According to him, of the estimated revenue target of N1.5 trillion, the sector could only generate N7b in 13 years.

    Noting  that lottery and gaming businesses have continued to flourish without proper regulation in the country, Maigari said the Nigerian lottery market according to industry experts is the most attractive market in Africa.

    He said: “The industry is worth over N1.5 trillion as we speak. Lottery has significantly contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries across the continent and about 7.5 million and 22 million Nigerians engage in lottery and sport betting daily.?

    “Records at our disposal indicates that cumulative returns of about 5 years stood at about 7.2 billion and this is unacceptable in a nation with so much potential like Nigeria”.

    He however regretted that conflict of interest, sharp practices, sabotage among others as factors are militating against the revenue growth from the industry in Nigeria.

    “This has giving dubios businessmen and agents the latitude to undermine government interest,” he added.?

    On his part, the Director General (DG) of NLRC, Lanre Gbajabiamila said outdated lottery laws has contributed to the stunted growth of  the sector in the country.

    He however explained that his commission is poised to raise the sector to international standard, “A lot has been said about the sector  which I concur with, and we still have lots of work to do, as our laws are outdated and need to be rejigged.”

    “We need this House, especialy the committee to help us in updating the lottery and gaming laws, they are outdated and a lot of things are going on out there that need to be tapped into using enabling legialtions.”

    “However, as regulators, we are putting some checks and balances in place as the way the industry was run before wasn’t proper,” he noted.?

    While declaring open the hearing, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, in terms of income generation rated the country’s lottery sector higher than other sectors after oil and gas, Customs and Excise and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

    The Committee assured that all necessary legislative action would be taken to bring to book all operators found culpable to have shortchanged the country.

    Committee Chairman, Oseni Kangiwa said the responsibility to ensure the robustness of the sector lies on NLRC for effective regulatory framework and standards  for the operators.

  • Reps condemn Lottery operators for loss of N1.5 trillion

    …threaten licence withdraw of culpable operators

     

    The House of Representatives has expressed disappointment with the inability of the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission to regulate the sector effectively.

    There are 21 licensed operators currently running the sector in the country following the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The lawmakers blamed the loss of over N1.493 trillion by the country on the failure of the Commission to carry out its responsibilities diligently.

    The House has consequently threatened lottery operators found culpable of non remittance of their dues with the withdrawal of their licenses.

    The Commission has however cited lack of effective regulation in the industry as a major contributory factor for the abysmal revenue drive.

    The acting Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Bello Maigari, while appearing before House Committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs regretted that the sector has over the years failed to meet its set revenue target.

    According to him, of the estimated revenue target of N1.5 trillion, the sector could only generate N7b in 13 years.

    Noting that lottery and gaming businesses have continued to flourish without proper regulation in the country, Maigari said the Nigerian lottery market according to industry experts is the most attractive market in Africa.

    He said: “The industry is worth over N1.5 trillion as we speak. Lottery has significantly contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries across the continent and about 7.5 million and 22 million Nigerians engage in lottery and sport betting daily.‎
    ‎
    “Records at our disposal indicates that cumulative returns of about 5 years stood at about 7.2 billion and this is unacceptable in a nation with so much potential like Nigeria”. ‎

    He however regretted that conflict of interest, sharp practices, sabotage among others as factors are militating against the revenue growth from the industry in Nigeria.

    “This has giving dubios businessmen and agents the latitude to undermine government interest,” he added.‎

    On his part, the Director General (DG) of NLRC, Lanre Gbajabiamila said outdated lottery laws has contributed to the stunted growth of the sector in the country.

    He however explained that his commission is poised to raise the sector to international standard, “A lot has been said about the sector which I concur with, and we still have lots of work to do, as our laws are outdated and need to be rejigged.‎
    ‎
    “We need this House, especialy the committee to help us in updating the lottery and gaming laws, they are outdated and a lot of things are going on out there that need to be tapped into using enabling legialtions.‎

    “However, as regulators, we are putting some checks and balances in place as the way the industry was run before wasn’t proper,” he noted.‎

    ‎While declaring open the hearing, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, in terms of income generation rated the country’s lottery sector higher than other sectors after oil and gas, Customs and Excise and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

    The Committee assured that all necessary legislative action would be taken to bring to book all operators found culpable to have shortchanged the country.

    Committee Chairman, Oseni Kangiwa said the responsibility to ensure the robustness of the sector lies on NLRC for effective regulatory framework and standards for the operators.

  • Court restrains EFCC, others from arresting lottery operators

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting lottery operators or disrupting their businesses for allegedly operating without their state licences.

    Justice Mohammed Idris held that it would be illegal to shut down lottery business on the basis that they have not obtained additional licenses to operate after being licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).

    The plaintiffs, Western Lotto Nigeria Ltd and Wesco Pools & Lottery Ltd, had prayed the court to determine whether in view of subsisting and binding judgments of the court, the defendants can close down their businesses for not obtaining licenses from the states despite having been granted nationwide permits/licences by NLRC.

    They sued the attorneys-general of Lagos and Ogun states; the Lagos State Lottery Board, the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service, Inspector General of Police, commissioners of Police in Lagos and Ogun, the EFCC and the DSS.

    In his judgment, Justice Idris dismissed the defendants’ objections and granted the two prayers in the plaintiffs’ originating summons.

    He made “a declaration that the defendants or any combination of them may not take any steps whatsoever whether by closure, arrests, detentions, sealing off, or howsoever designed, to disrupt, close down or otherwise impede the lottery business of the plaintiffs.”

    The judge held that having been granted national permits, the defendants cannot close down such businesses “for reason that the plaintiffs have not obtained additional license to operate their lottery business..”

    Justice Idris granted an order restraining the defendants or their agents from disrupting the plaintiffs’ business in any manner having been given national licenses pursuant to the National Lottery Act of 2005.

    The plaintiffs, in a supporting affidavit, said a tussle over supremacy between the states and the NLRC was resolved by two earlier judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    “Both decisions were arrived at on the basis that the National Lottery Act had covered the field and the states’ legislation on the same subject must give way,” the plaintiffs said.

     

     

     

    According to them, despite the judgments, the defendants had been “threatening” to use the Police, DSS and EFCC “to carry out raids on the business premises of the plaintiffs in Lagos and Ogun states and take other action designed to disrupt their lottery business”.

     

  • Reps to investigate 19 lottery operators

    Reps to investigate 19 lottery operators

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Governmental Affairs to investigate the activities of licensed lottery operators from 2000 to date with a view to ensuring that tax defaulters among them are made to pay promptly.

    This followed the adoption of a motion by Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, who noted that out of the 21 licensed lottery operators in the country, only two or three have successfully paid their dues and other taxes to the Federal Government over the last few years.

    He said: “All over the world, tax evasion is deemed a very serious offence as most advanced countries sustain their economies through effective and transparent taxation system where operators of businesses pay their taxes promptly.

    “The Nigerian Lottery Commission can become one of the revenue generating agencies if the operators of lottery are made to pay taxes to the government as and when due, as the government needs the money to execute various projects rather than borrowing to fund the annual budget.

    “These lottery operators have been defaulting in payments of all their fees to the Commission for more than 10 years now, including the nature and type of games being played, the list of winners and total amount generated.

    “For emphasis, the Acting Director General of the Commission even stated that since his assumption of office about four months ago, the operators have not been meeting their obligations.”

    When the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, called for a voice vote, the motion was supported by majority of members of the House.

    The investigating committee is expected to report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative action.

  • Lottery operators back Lagos @ 50 mega raffle

    As the Lagos at 50 mega raffle draw enters the 4th week,  lottery operators in the state, under the umbrella of National Union of Lotto Agents and Employees, have declared their support and readiness to spread the good news to all the nooks and crannies of Lagos State.

    Rising from a meeting with the organisers of the raffle, the body declared that the mega raffle is a credible programme design to enrich Lagosians as part of the celebration of the 50 years of existence of the state. They promised to make the raffle ticket available to Lagosians in all parts of the state.

    “We have studied the modalities and pattern of the Lagos at 50 Mega raffle and can boldly say that it is a credible programme designed to give back to Lagosians as the state marks her 50 years of existence. The organisers have also demonstrated incredible passion towards achieving the set objectives,” the General Secretary of the association, Gregory Olatunji, said.

    “Giving back to Lagosians is the main motive behind this project, which is attached to the Lagos at 50 celebrations. It is our belief that well meaning Lagosians deserve to enjoy and celebrate with the state, hence the project. At the end of the draw in August, 2 lucky winners will also be going home with N5 miillion jackpot,” he added.

     

  • Lagos arrests Serbian, 10 other Illegal lottery operators

    Lagos arrests Serbian, 10 other Illegal lottery operators

    Lagos State Lotteries Board has arrested a Serbian and 10 other people who engaged in illegal lottery and online sports betting without being licensed by the board.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, who confirmed the arrests, gave the name of the Serbian, as Mr. Nenad Inkovic.

    He said Inkovic was caught while operating illegal online sports betting at Ilaje Street, Ajah area of the state..

    He said the illegal activity was a breach of Section 43 (1) (b) of the Lagos State Lotteries Law.

    The Serbian was charged to court at the Special Offences Court, Alausa, for operating online sports betting illegally. He was granted bail, while his international passport has been seized.

    However, the board’s CEO disclosed that two illegal sports betting operators and nine public online lottery operators were arrested between January and this month.

    Gbajabiamila stated that the arrests were carried out at Iju/ishaga, Ojodu Berger, Lagos Island, Ajah, Ikeja and Olowo Ira.

    He disclosed that eight of the offenders were awaiting trial.

    He stated that the board would not relent in its effort to rid the state off illegal lottery activities.