FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ANS. The Oxford Learners Dictionary defines Lottery as “a way of raising money for government and charity”.

However, the National lottery Act 2005, defines Lottery or Lotteries to include any game, scheme, arrangement, system, plan, promotional competition,  or device for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance or as a result of exercise of skill and chance or based on the outcome of sporting events or any other device which the President may by notice in the gazette declare to be lottery and which shall be operated according to a licence.

It is a game of luck involving drawing of lot for a prize.

It is a strategy for fund raising for Good Causes. For example, the Great Wall of China and some Ivy League Universities like Harvard & Yale were built using Lottery funds. The 2012 Olympic was 50% funded by Lottery Funds.

ANS. Traditionally tickets are normally raised (physical/paper or electronic/online), these tickets bear different numbers chosen by the player and sold to the player. Then numbers are now chosen by chance and whoever matches the chosen numbers on their tickets will win a prize.

ANS. The functions of NLRC are mainly regulatory:

To issue licenses and permits,

To set standards, guidelines, rules and promote transparency & integrity in the operation and business of lottery in Nigeria.

To carry out periodic assessment of the operation of lottery and submit reports to the President and National Assembly

To ensure accurate monitoring and assessment of proceeds accruing to operators to determine the value of the 50% prize money, and ensure 20% contribution to the Trust Fund

ANS. The NLRC is a Parastatal under the Office of the Presidency of the Secretary to The Government of the Federation

ANS. All over the world where lottery is played, winners emerge. In Nigeria too, we have instances where players have won fabulous prizes such as houses, cars and cash prizes as much as 65 million Naira.

ANS. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission is a parastatal under the Ministry of Special Duties in the Presidency.

ANS. Yes, the NLRC is statutorily required to regulate promotions that fall outside schemes for creating customer preference and loyalty. Once a customer must pay money to enter a promotion that ends in a draw, it is lottery and that has to be regulated by NLRC

ANS. Any person who registers with CAC, who is of sound mind and has the required capital base can apply for a license. However, the Commission reserves the right after thorough inspection of business premises and equipment to decline granting the application.

ANS. Yes, every game has rules guiding conduct. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission has the powers under the law, to revoke the licences of any operator who violates the rules

ANS. It is the duty of the NLRC department of Monitoring and Enforcement to attend to all public complaints, with the aim of redressing and resolving them amicably.

ANS. It is the general public. Because the National Lottery Act 2005, stipulates that 50% of all proceeds must go to players as prizes and 20% to the National Lottery Trust Fund for Good Causes. This means that 70% of the total proceeds of Lottery money actually goes back to the people. Only 30% is left to the operator to cover his cost.
Good Causes include investment in education, health, sports and special projects of national significance.
Individuals and/or civil society organizations with projects that touch the generality of people can also access funds or grants from the National Lottery Trust Fund.