The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has appealed to members of the Association of Lotto Marketing Companies to remain calm and exercise patience as the Board of Directors take the necessary steps and actions to address the illegal operation of ‘*959# Mobile Game’.
It has, therefore, cautioned the public to discontinue patronising the ‘*959# Lotto Game’ on MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Keed Online Platform.
In a statement, the NLA also advised MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Keed Ghana Limited to shut down the USSD *959# which it described as an illegal lottery until a licence is duly acquired for it under Act 722.
“Keed Ghana Limited, MTN, Vodafone and AirtelTigo have a patriotic duty to the state to protect the core business of the National Lottery Authority and our Lotto Marketing Companies by shutting down the illegal USSD *959# with immediate effect”, it mentioned.
The Director-General of NLA has made several efforts, including writing letters to the National Communication Authority (NCA), Keed Ghana Limited, MTN, Vodafone and AirtelTigo to shut down the short code *959# but to no avail.
Currently, the NLA management and the leadership of the Association of Lotto Marketing Companies have set up a Joint Working Committee to deal with the illegal short code of *959# operating 5/90 lotto by MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Keed Ghana Limited.
The statement added: “The Joint Working Committee of NLA and the Association of Lotto Marketing Companies would consider suing MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Keed Ghana Limited if they fail to shut down the short code *959# as soon as possible.
“The NLA has not issued any licence to Keed Ghana Limited to operate 5/90 Lotto Game online and via short code *959#”, it emphasised.
It pointed out that the illegal operations of *959# Mobile/Online Game is directly and indirectly destroying the sales of the Lotto Marketing Companies and subsequently affecting the revenue of the NLA.
Source: Daily Mail GH
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