The Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Mohammed Abdul-Salam, has disclosed that Ghana is losing more than GHS1 billion in revenue every year to illegal lottery operations, warning that the unchecked activities of unlicensed “Banker-to-Banker” operators are undermining state mobilisation efforts and national development.
Mr. Abdul-Salam made the disclosure while addressing stakeholders and participants at the 2026 European Lotteries (EL) Industry Days in Morocco.
The forum, held under the theme “Lotteries Bridging Continents”, brought together regulators and operators from Europe and Africa to share strategies on growth, compliance, and the fight against illegal gambling.
“Over GHS1 Billion Lost to Illegal Lottery Each Year”
Speaking on the panel topic, _“The Fight Against Illegal Gambling as a Significant and Growing Issue in Africa,”_ the NLA boss said the scale of losses to unauthorised operators is alarming.
“Ghana loses over GHS1 billion in revenue each year to illegal lottery activities, equivalent to about US$85 million,” he stated.
According to him, the proliferation of unregulated and unauthorised lottery operations has been eroding the NLA’s revenue base, depriving the State of funds that could be channeled into social and development initiatives.
“The illegal activities of these operators, popularly known as Banker-to-Banker lotto operators, continue to pose a growing threat to the integrity of the lottery industry and to the country’s revenue mobilisation agenda,” he added.
Technology and the NLA–KGL Partnership as a Response
Outlining measures being deployed to curb the menace, Mr. Abdul-Salam said the Authority is leveraging technology and digitalisation to clamp down on scammers and illegal operators.
He described the NLA–KGL deal as “one of the most effective technology and digitalisation strategies” adopted by the State to combat illegal lottery operations and fraud in the sector.
“The NLA–KGL deal has been instrumental in sanitizing parts of the market and improving compliance. However, there is still more work to be done to further reduce the annual loss of GHS1 billion to illegal lottery operations,” he said.
To achieve that objective, he called for full government and stakeholder support for the NLA–KGL partnership to help completely eradicate the activities of illegal operators and scammers from the industry.
Collaboration Across Continents
The 2026 EL Industry Days are designed to foster collaboration between European and African lotteries by exchanging best practices, identifying shared priorities, and developing joint strategies to address illegal gambling.
The discussions also reaffirmed the role of national lotteries as instruments for social good and public revenue generation.
The NLA has been an Observer Member of European Lotteries since June 2024. Mr. Abdul-Salam said the membership provides Ghana with access to international expertise, regulatory frameworks, and technology solutions needed to strengthen oversight of the local lottery market.
“The fight against illegal gambling cannot be won in isolation. It requires cooperation, data sharing, and the adoption of modern digital tools across borders,” he concluded.
