Staff of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), through their union—the Financial and Business Services Employees Union (FBSEU) of NLA—are calling on government to urgently intervene in what they describe as the “private capture” of the national lottery system.
The Union says the Authority is nearing collapse due to a series of “illegal” third-party contracts issued by the previous NLA Governing Board.
In a petition to the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, as well as the newly appointed Director-General, the union is demanding a full review and immediate suspension of all third-party contracts and licenses granted to Private Lotto Operators (PLOs) over the past six years.
They argue these contracts violate the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), and have plunged the once-thriving public institution into financial distress and inefficiency.
According to the petition, the NLA has experienced its sharpest decline in revenue from its Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs) since the introduction of private operators.
The union estimates that the Authority has lost nearly 50% of its market share to online platforms and PLOs, resulting in over GH¢250 million in lost revenue between 2017 and 2024.
This has also led to significant job losses among Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), who have been the backbone of the national lottery system.
A central focus of the union’s concern is KEED Ghana Limited, operators of KGL Technology, which runs the NLA’s 5/90 games online.
Though KGL is licensed as an LMC, the union claims it functions outside the scope of the National Lotto Act by keeping proceeds in its own accounts, paying winnings directly to players, and providing little financial accountability to the NLA.
Most alarming to the union is the reported 25-year exclusive license granted to KGL by the former Governing Board, a move they see as a deliberate effort to mortgage the future of the NLA for private gain.
The petition also mentions similar contracts with BLUESTAR LOTTO, ALPHA LOTTO, and LUMA TECHNOLOGIES. The union claims these companies, though initially introduced as technical service providers, were later licensed as PLOs, operating as LMCs while undermining the NLA’s operations.
With outdated equipment, logistical challenges, and loss of LMC loyalty, the Authority is said to be struggling to compete.
The union is therefore demanding that government expedite the composition of a new NLA Governing Board with members who possess institutional memory and a firm grasp of the Authority’s core mandate.
They insist that only a radical reset of policy decisions and contract reviews can restore the NLA to its former strength.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that the NLA remains sustainable for national development and staff welfare,” the union declared.
Warning that it is prepared to march to the presidency and suspend lotto draws if the situation is not addressed urgently.
By: Akora Kofi Darko
