17 Nov PRESS RELEASE – DG LOTTERY COMMISSION WARNS PUBLIC AGAINST PARTICIPATING IN ILLEGAL LOTTERIES

As the year draws to an end, the Director General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Adolphus Joe Ekpe has renewed his call on Nigerians to shun participation in all forms of illegal lotteries.

The need to renew this call stems from the increased economic activities associated with most sectors towards end of the year, with the lottery sector being one of the most active.

The Director-General therefore warns all illegal lottery operators to regularize their operations with the Commission or risk the wrath of the law which could include arrests and prosecutions. He reminds illegal lottery operators that violation of lottery laws is a crime which both the Nigerian Police Force and the EFCC deal with.

The Commission’s Memorandum of Understanding with both EFCC and the NPF are still in force, as we would not hesitate to hand lottery offenders to any of the two enforcement agencies.

The Director General further advises companies involved in Consumer Sales Promotions to remain within the confines of the Sales promotions. He insists Consumer Sales Promotions that have lottery content must be regularized, failure which offenders risk being handed over to the Police and the EFCC

The advice against Consumer Sales Promotions with lottery content comes on the heels of the recent judgment of a Lagos High Court, as well as that of an Abuja High Court where cases challenging the legality of regularization of Consumer Sales Promotions with lottery content with the Lottery Commission had been respectively struck out, thereby giving more impetus to the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to carry out its statutory functions without hindrances.

Magnus Ekechukwu

Head, Media/Public Affairs