MONROVIA: The Board of Directors of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has adopted Regulation No. 005 of 2026, a comprehensive regulatory instrument that modernizes the supervision, licensing, advertising, and funding of lottery and gaming activities in the Republic of Liberia.
The Regulation was adopted on 29 April 2026 and takes effect upon adoption and publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Liberia (Published by Authority, Vol. XXVI, Thursday, 1 October 2026, No. 48), following signature into handbills by the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Issued under the National Lottery Authority Act of 2014 and in implementation of the NLA Five-Year Strategic Plan, Regulation 005 consolidates a Central Lottery Management System (CLMS), Gaming Machines Control Regulations, advertising and marketing standards, a framework for strategic partnerships, minimum capital requirements, a revised fee schedule, a Good-Cause Levy, and a mandate to develop a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy.
“The gaming sector is changing rapidly, with digital platforms, online lottery services, and mobile-money ecosystems reshaping how people play,” said NLA Director General Hon. Peter L. Solo. “Regulation 005 gives Liberia a modern, transparent, and enforceable framework that protects players, rewards responsible operators, and directs a share of gaming revenue back to the communities that need it most.”
Real-time oversight through a Central Lottery Management System
The Regulation directs the Authority to procure, deploy, and administer a Central Lottery Management System for real-time, end-to-end monitoring, auditing, and reporting of all gaming transactions by licensed operators and official partners. The system will meet internationally recognized standards, including those of the African Lottery Association, the World Lottery Association, and the Gaming Regulators European Forum.
Once the Director General declares the CLMS operational, connection becomes a condition of every operating license, subject to a 180-day transitional period (or a shorter period set by the Board). CLMS fees will be proportionate to the level of integration required. Terminals managed through an operator’s centralized server—where the CLMS receives the required data through a single integration—will not attract individual per-terminal fees.
Key technology and data safeguards include:
Cybersecurity measures consistent with ISO/IEC 27001 or equivalent
Mandatory reporting of material data breaches, system failures, or unauthorized interference within 24 hours of detection
Treatment of tampering with gaming systems or obstruction of CLMS connectivity as a serious violation that may be referred for criminal prosecution
Retention of essential financial, transactional, anti-money-laundering, player-account, license, and compliance records for at least five years
Publication by the Authority of a Data Governance Policy consistent with Liberian data-protection law
Gaming Machines Control Regulations
Regulation 005 introduces stringent controls for gaming machines to ensure integrity and fairness in gaming operations. Key provisions include:
Importation Requirements: All gaming machines imported into Liberia must comply with NLA standards. Importers are required to provide a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, and a Clean Report of Findings. The Liberia Revenue Authority oversees the importation process, ensuring that all gaming equipment meets the necessary criteria before entry into the country.
Operational Standards: Gaming machines must be installed and operated in accordance with NLA guidelines, including technical specifications and security measures to prevent tampering and ensure fair play.
Maintenance Control: Licensed operators are mandated to implement regular maintenance schedules for gaming machines, ensuring they remain in optimal working condition. This includes routine inspections, software updates, and prompt repairs to address any technical issues.
Advertising and Marketing Standards to Protect Consumers and Minors
Part V of the Regulation establishes mandatory standards for all gaming advertising across television, radio, print, outdoor, digital, social media, SMS, email, and in-venue materials. Advertising must not target minors, imply guaranteed winnings, portray gambling as a solution to financial hardship, encourage compulsive play, misstate odds, or employ deceptive urgency (such as false countdown timers).
Every advertisement must carry a responsible-gambling message (e.g., “Play Responsibly. Must be 18 or over”), an accurate statement of the odds of winning the top prize (or a note that odds vary by game), and a reference to the NLA’s player-support helpline or another approved support resource. Broadcast disclosures of 15 seconds or longer must remain audible and legible for at least four seconds; print and digital disclosures must be no smaller than ten points.
Additional requirements include:
No marketing in any medium where more than 30% of the expected audience is under 18
Age-gating on digital advertisements before any click-through to purchase or registration pages
Paid influencers must disclose their relationship using #ad and #NLAPartner; licensees must verify that influencer audiences are predominantly adult
No sponsorships or naming rights tied to events aimed at persons under 18, and no branded merchandise distributed at schools or youth venues
Protection of licensed brands and digital identity, including removal of false listings or pages that impersonate a licensee
An annual advertising permit for licensed operators, with random audits permitted and a five-business-day determination on any prior clearance the Authority requires
Revised Fees and New Capital Floors
Appendix III-A replaces the fee schedule under Regulation No. 004, aligning Liberia’s licensing fees with current market valuations and comparable frameworks. Fees take effect upon adoption.
Appendix III-B sets minimum paid-up capital requirements by license class and requires that operators maintain a minimum bank balance equivalent to 25% of paid-up capital at the time of issuance or renewal of a license.
A Good-Cause Levy to Fund Responsible Gambling and Social Programs
In fulfilment of the Good-Cause Fund articulated in the Five-Year Strategic Plan, Regulation 005 establishes a Good-Cause Levy of up to one percent (1%) of an operator’s Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), at a rate to be determined by the Board. The levy is assessed solely on operator revenue and never on player deposits, stakes, wagers, or winnings. It is remitted monthly; all licenses and gaming activities of the same legal entity are aggregated and treated as one operator.
Proceeds are directed to the Responsible Gambling and Social Contribution Fund, to be used exclusively for:
Support for persons with disabilities, the elderly, orphans, and related causes
Treatment, counselling, and support for people affected by gambling-related harm
Research into the social impact of gambling
Community development in areas hosting significant gaming operations
Public-awareness campaigns on the risks of problem gambling
The Fund will be administered by the Authority’s Department of Corporate Social Responsibility and Welfare. Its audited accounts will be published on the Authority’s website and submitted to the Board and the relevant government authority. Administrative costs are capped at five percent of levy receipts in any financial year.
Strategic partnerships for the national lottery and prediction markets
The Board has authorized the Director General to solicit, negotiate, and administer strategic partnerships for the national lottery segment (including draw-based, instant, scratch, numerical, and keno-style games and a national online lottery platform), prediction markets, and related products approved by the Board.
Safeguards include operation under NLA license or appointment; preservation of the Authority’s statutory regulatory power and the Government’s residual interest; a competitive, documented selection process (unless the Board authorizes otherwise by reasoned resolution); Board ratification of material terms before any agreement becomes binding; fit-and-proper vetting of partners, directors, and 10% or greater owners (with disclosure of politically exposed persons); and quarterly reporting to the Board.
Prediction markets may be offered only under a Prediction Market Operator License or a Board-ratified partnership. Contracts on the death of a named person, the commission of a crime, or the outcome of a Liberian election are prohibited. Player funds must be ring-fenced from operating capital.
Corporate Social Responsibility policy
Management has been authorized to develop, consult on, and submit a CSR & Welfare Policy for licensed operators to the Board within 90 days of commencement (unless extended). The Policy will cover annual CSR& Welfare plans and public reporting; priority themes such as support to persons with disabilities and their causes, responsible gambling, youth and education, community health, sports development, and economic localization; and independent verification of outcomes. It may not impose any additional mandatory levy or percentage-based contribution beyond those authorized under Article 5 of the Regulation.
The National Lottery Authority is the statutory body of the Republic of Liberia mandated under the National Lottery Authority Act of 2014 to regulate, license, and exercise supervisory oversight over all lottery and gaming activities conducted within the country. The Authority is committed to consumer protection, responsible gambling, and the sustainable, transparent, and integrity-driven development of the gaming sector.
Towards Economic Empowerment And Reconciliation
