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“[…] The agreement between NLCB and its Agents stipulates that lottery agents collect bets on behalf of the NLCB and have one week within which to remit these funds to the Lotteries Board.
“[…] As a last resort in its ongoing efforts to recover more than $6 million in outstanding payments, the NLCB has issued in the past month, pre-action protocol letters to delinquent agents following the failure of numerous discussions….”
The following press statement on the relationship between the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) and lottery agents was issued by NLCB:
(via Stabroeknews)
The policy update letter circulated by the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) to its lottery agents is by no means draconian or unreasonable. In fact, the sole intent of the NLCB’s circular is to remind all its agents to abide by their contractual arrangements with the Lotteries Board.
The agreement between NLCB and its agents stipulates that lottery agents collect bets on behalf of the NLCB and have one week within which to remit these funds to the Lotteries Board.
Any agent that fails to remit funds within this period is subject to have their lottery machine suspended pending certification of payment in full to the NLCB.
NLCB has enjoyed and continues to enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with the vast majority of its more than 1,200 lottery agents who are licensed to the NLCB—most of whom comply with the tenets of their agreements with the NLCB.
There is, however, a small percentage of agents that fail to meet their obligations and do not remit funds to the NLCB within the time specified in their contracts.
Commenting on the failure by some Agents to remit funds on time, NLCB Chairman Eustace Nancis said: “It is important to recognise that these funds that are collected by our Agents are being collected on behalf of the NLCB and the monies are in fact the property of the NLCB.
“Failure by any Agent to remit any such funds to the NLCB on time and in full, with the intent to permanently deprive the NLCB of these funds, is, in effect, tantamount to unjust enrichment.”
As a last resort in its ongoing efforts to recover more than $6 million in outstanding payments, the NLCB has issued in the past month, pre-action protocol letters to delinquent agents following the failure of numerous discussions.
Chairman Nancis said: “The vast majority of our agents are responsible vendors, many of whom are independent operators and have nothing to do with the Online Gaming Association of Trinidad and Tobago.
“They abide by their contractual arrangements with the Lotteries Board, and we have no problems with them. But there are some agents, a small minority, who fail to meet their obligations and are delinquent in remitting funds to the NLCB as per their contractual agreement.
“As a responsible body, the NLCB felt it prudent to re-circulate the rules to which all agents are bound by contract and to remind agents of their statutory obligation under Section 25 of the National Lotteries Act to post a bond.”
In the interest of accuracy, the NLCB wishes to correct recent erroneous media reports through which individuals sought to give the impression that “more than 100 lottery machines” had been returned to the NLCB by disgruntled agents.
It is worthy to note that the individuals making such claims are listed among those with funds owed to the NLCB.
In 2024, the NLCB was forced to take the following action in the interest of preserving the integrity of its business:
- 36 machines were deinstalled because of agent’s indebtedness totalling over $4m.
- 22 machines were returned to the NLCB either because the vending location was no longer available to the agent or because of poor profitability.
The non-remittance of funds to the NLCB adversely affects the collection of revenue due to the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and, consequently, the benefits to be derived by the citizens of the country.
The board and management of the NLCB remain committed to discharging their fiduciary duties and will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure all monies owed to the Lotteries Board are collected.
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