President of the World Lottery Association (WLA) Rebecca Paul has assured that the Association would support the government’s efforts at preventing illegal gaming activities in the country.
Madam Paul said the WLA had two dominant objectives, which are to give back to society in countries they have representation by way of membership and to fight all forms of illegal gaming and lottery activities.
Illegal private lottery operations, popularly known as “Banker to Banker and other fraudulent lotto operations had been practised in the country for a very long time. The NLA since 2021, had taken steps to stop those illegal lotto operators in the country.
Madam Paul and her delegation, who paid a courtesy call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House last Friday, said any lottery organisation under WLA’s supervision was bound to adhere to the standards of the association.
She said part of what the World Lottery Association does is to help set up standards that its members must meet and “one of the most important is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards which you (Ghana) are applying for and working towards.”
“One of the things that are most threatening to the lottery that gives back to good courses are those illegal folks who do nothing. They don’t pay any taxes, they don’t give any money to good causes and they don’t follow the same rules and standards that those of us who are government-sanctioned follow,” the WLA President stated.
Madam Rebecca Paul said the organisation was working with all the lotteries across Africa on those two initiatives [CSR and responsible gaming] which are two of its most important objectives.
The Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammy Awuku on his part said Ghana was not in good standing when it came to certification and abiding by some of the tenets that the World Lottery Association espoused.
“But over the last year, we have made a great effort and currently, we are in the process. We submitted our application and hoping to be certified as a country that adheres to responsible gaming, advisory blue and also giving back to society,” Mr Awuku said.
He was hoping that by April next year, Ghana would be in good standing in responsible gaming and giving back to society.
President Akufo-Addo indicated his delight to have the entire leadership of the World Lottery Association in Ghana celebrate the 60th anniversary of the NLA.
On the two overarching objectives of the WLA, President Akufo-Addo said under the leadership of the current Director-General of the NLA, steps were being taken to align Ghana’s lottery sector to the same.
He assured NLA of the government’s support to ensure it conformed to the high standards of its parent body, the World Lottery Authority, and all other certification bodies and institutions the NLA is associated with.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
