Business
NLRC To Clampdown On Illegal Lottery Operators
Hard times await illegal lottery operators in Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River States, as the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) commences the enforcement and monitoring of illegal operations of lottery, promo and raffle draws in the zone.
In a statement made available to The Tide on Monday, the zonal coordinator, Peterson Evi-Parker warned that any lottery, raffle draw or promo that is not endorsed by the NLRC is operating illegally, and that all operators in the industry are mandated to obtain necessary permits and licenses or regularise their status to avoid any disruptions to their business.
He advised the general public not to participate but to report such activities to the commission, as it will not hesitate to act swiftly and without further notice in fishing out unsolicited operators in the lottery industry.
It would be recalled that NLRC was established under Section 1 of the National Lottery Act 2005 to police the lottery industry in Nigeria, with a view to bringing fair play and transparency to the sector.
According to the Zonal Coordinator, “apart from the built-in-chances of winning prizes of various types, a proportion of money staked goes to the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) and distributed for good causes.”
He regretted that the illegal operators are not only starving the country of much needed revenue for development, but also cheating the public in funds for good causes, such as health, education and arts & culture, saying that all over the world lottery money is used to support good causes, which NLRC is advocating in addition to credible and transparent lottery enterprise.
Evi-Parker, posited that the NLRC mandate is to safeguard the interest of the public and that the commission is determined to promote a transparent and healthy lottery industry that benefits the individual and the country as a whole. Assuring that the interest of the lottery playing public is protected and not short-changed anytime they go out to buy a lottery ticket or enter a “play and win” promotion.