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The Director General of National Lottery Authority (NLA), Honorable Kofi Osei-Ameyaw says NLA is devising ways to clamp down on illegal lottery operators, popularly called “Banker to Banker”.

Activities by the illegal lottery operators are said to be depriving Ghana of huge revenues for national development.

Hon. Kofi Osei-Ameyaw was interacting with members of the Association of Lotto Marketing Companies (ALMC) who called on him to congratulate him on his appointment.

Chairman of the ALMC, Dan Mensah pledged the Association’s commitment to work closely with Hon. Osei-Ameyaw and support his vision to promote the operations of Authority.

Speaking to the NLA Director, the ALMC raised concerns about the activities of the illegal lottery operators and appealed to him to address the challenges hampering their business as a result of such activities.

They noted that the illegal lottery operators have been siphoning revenues which should otherwise end up in the Consolidated Fund for national development.

The revenues, they added, end up into individuals’ pockets as a result of the fact that Banker to Banker operators do not pay taxes on their earnings and more often than not also swindle their patrons by refusing to pay up on wins.

Members of the Association also decried the tax on lotto wins stating it dissuades players from patronizing NLA products, hence encouraging them to resort to the Banker to Bankers.

Director General of NLA, Hon. Kofi Osei-Ameyaw thanked the ALMC for their support and promised to work with them to develop NLA in line with the vision of President Akuffo Addo to generate revenue for the State.

Hon. Osei-Ameyaw assured them of plans to address their concerns, some of which he listed are setting up a Lotto Taskforce to hinder illegal lottery operations.

Those found flouting the law, he stated, will be prosecuted.

He further promised to tackle the issue of taxation regarding lotto and other challenges stifling the business.

The Director General promised to hold periodic meetings with the ALMC to update them on progress made.