Lotteries: Lagos to shut down unlicensed operators

LAGOS State Lotteries Board said it will continue the shut down of unlicensed gaming operators, stressing that the activities of illegal operators were inimical to the growth and development of the gaming industry in the state.

General Manager of the Board, Mr. Seun Anibaba, gave this indication in Ikeja, saying that the Agency had also discovered that some authorised agents offered games from both licensed and unlicensed gaming operators in order to maximise profit.

He implored perpetrators of unlicensed gaming activities to desist from such illegal activities, saying that anyone caught operating without a valid licence would severely be dealt with.

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According to him, this is because such illegal activity is a violation and total disregard for the basic laws regulating the industry in Lagos.

He urged gaming operators/agents in the state to comply with provisions of Lagos State Lotteries Law to support the remarkable efforts of the state government in its quest to achieve the status of a globally competitive state.

While noting that LSLB remains committed to continuous surveillance, monitoring, investigation and enforcement as part of efforts to sanitize the sector, Anibaba maintained that it was essential for stakeholders and the public to conform to the gaming laws to achieve the desired objective and vision for the Lagos State Gaming industry.

He, therefore, enjoined stakeholders to cooperate with the Board to achieve the desired growth in the gaming industry in Lagos State.

Recall that the Lagos State Lotteries Board was established by the Lagos State Lotteries Law 2004 (as amended) as the sole authority to regulate gaming activities such as Public Online Lottery, Online Sports Betting, Scratch Card & Interactive Games, Casino, Gaming Machine, Pools Betting operations, other games, among others.