The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has released a clarificatory statement in response to a purported update published by the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) about some gaming operators.
A few days ago, LSGA announced that some operators were unlicensed, and the NLRC has expressed displeasure about it. The body listed 43 betting operators stating that they were unlicensed.
The original statement issued by the LSGA warned punters to beware of the operators tagged “unlicensed and illegal” in the state and to stay clear of placing bets with them.
However, the NLRC has issued a solid opposition to the statement, clarifying that 21 of those listed operators did obtain licences at the national level.
“This caption has created confusion in the Nigeria gaming industry and the Commission has been inundated with request on the status of the operators tagged ‘unlicensed and illegal’. It is, therefore, necessary for NLRC as the Agency created by law to regulate Lottery and Gaming in Nigeria to make clarification” – NLRC Official Statement.
The national regulating body declared that the 21 gaming operators—22BET, AFRIBET, BANGBET, BETIKA, BETWAZOBIA, BLACKBELT/BETTYBINGO, CLOUDBET, GOBET, HALLABET, KONFAMBET, KORETBET, LIVESCOREBET, LOTTOMANIA, N1BET, NAIJABET, MILLIONAIRE, MSPORT, PARIPESA, POWERPLAY, SCRATCH2WIN, and ZEBET—are authorised to operate in any part of the country.
But it is surprising that a few well-known betting operators in the LSLGA publication, notably Sportsbet.io, didn’t make the NLRC’s clarificatory list.
The NLRC acknowledged the disruption the LSGLA statement has caused in the gaming industry, expressing its sincere regrets.
“NLRC deeply regrets any misconceptions the unfortunate publication may have caused the national gaming licensees operating within the ambit of the law in Nigeria” – NLRC Official Statement.
Keynote speakers at the SBC summit corroborated the NLRC’s assertion by revealing that Nigeria’s national body is more reliable than state bodies concerning gaming operations. They, therefore, urged online operators to apply for licensing from the national regulator instead of the states.