Operators kick over betting companies’ blacklisting

Some industry players have described the publication by the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, listing some betting companies as unlicensed as inimical to the burgeoning gaming industry.

A statement said the LSLGA released a public notice penultimate week, stating that some 43 lottery and gaming platforms had no licence to operate in the state, and advised the gaming population to stay away from patronising them.

Conversely, the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, through its Director General, Lanre Gbajabiamila, said in a statement that gaming operators listed as unlicensed and illegal in LSLGA’s publication were duly licensed to conduct lottery and sports betting businesses in Nigeria.

The NLRC insisted that Zebet, Betika, Gobet247, Msport, Afribet, Bangbet, Betwazobia, Koretbet, Paripesa, Livescorebet, Blackbet/betty Bingo, Cloudbet, Hallabet, N1bet, Konfambet, Scratch2win, Naijabet, Lottomania and Millionaire Powerplay were its licensees, according to the statement.

It stated, “The confusion generated by the development has been viewed as having unnecessarily upset the stability the industry had enjoyed since a court judgment that affirmed the NLRC as the authentic body with the legal powers to regulate the industry in Nigeria.

“Some industry experts believe LSLB’s action is an affront to the ruling by Justice Iniekenimi Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos State that the Federal Government, through the National Assembly, had the exclusive right to legislate and control lottery activities in the country.

Justice Oweibo gave the ruling in a suit filed by the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers in 2020.”