The enforcement action, Techeconomy gathered from reliable sources, follows an interim order granted by the High Court sitting in the Enugu Judicial Division,  Acting on the authority of the court, the Commission has begun sealing and restricting access to the operator’s gaming premises within the state.

Speaking on the development, Prince Arinze Arum, the executive secretary and chief executive officer of the Commission, said the shutdown was a direct consequence of the operator’s failure to comply with the provisions of the Enugu State Gaming Law, particularly the remittance of assessed and duly demanded gross gaming revenue.

“The Commission has now commenced the enforcement of the court order by shutting down KC Gaming Networks’ gaming outlets operating as Bet9ja within Enugu State,” Prince Arum stated. “This action became necessary after the operator repeatedly failed to meet its statutory obligations despite formal assessments and demands.”

Prince Arum explained that the Commission acted strictly within the framework of the law and only after exhausting all administrative remedies available to it.

“We did not wake up and decide to shut down any operator,” he said. “This process followed due diligence, regulatory engagement, and lawful demand notices. When compliance was not achieved, the Commission approached the court and obtained the necessary order, which we are now enforcing.”

According to him, the enforcement underscores the Commission’s resolve to sanitize the gaming industry and ensure a level playing field for all licensed operators in the state.

“The gaming industry must be regulated with fairness, transparency, and accountability,” Prince Arum noted. “Operators who comply with the law have nothing to fear. Those who choose to disregard regulatory requirements should expect firm and lawful action from the Commission.”

He further stressed that the shutdown is not targeted at any particular brand but is part of a broader commitment to protect the integrity of the sector and safeguard public revenue.

“This is about enforcement, not victimization,” he said. “Revenue due to the state must be paid. These funds support governance and public services, and the Commission will not allow leakages under any guise.”

The court order empowers the Commission to seal, restrain, lock up, and restrict access to the respondent’s gaming premises pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. Prince Arum reiterated that the Commission remains open to engagement with operators who are willing to regularize their operations in line with the law.

“Our doors are open to dialogue, but compliance is non-negotiable,” he emphasized. “Enugu State is committed to building a responsible, well-regulated, and sustainable gaming industry, and we will continue to use all legal instruments available to achieve that goal.”

The Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission reaffirmed its mandate to regulate, monitor, and enforce gaming activities across the state in accordance with extant laws, regardless of who is involved, assuring the public that further enforcement actions will be taken against any operator found to be in breach of regulatory requirements.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, noted that the MoU, which will impact the gaming industry, is in sync with the Commission’s Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) and is in a bid to promote fair practices in the industry for the protection of telecommunications consumers in relation to lottery and gaming activities.

He said the collaboration is in line with the provisions of Commission’s SVP, 2021-2025, which provides for facilitation of strategic partnership and collaboration with other bodies to enhance service delivery.

He explained, “The initial MoU expired in 2022, amendments and modifications have been made since no MoU is cast in stone, especially given the industry’s dynamic nature.”

Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, the Director General of NLRC, expressed confidence that the MoU will yield favourable outcomes in curbing illegal online gambling as he shared his hope that NCC and the Lottery Commission will achieve their intentions in the interest of gaming stakeholders.

He noted how unapproved lottery and gaming activities and practices undermine the integrity of domestic and global gaming markets to the detriment of stakeholders in addition to undermining consumer confidence in these markets, hence the collaboration with the Commission to arrest such tendencies.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Barr. Adeleke Adewolu disclosed that the MoU was designed to address recent technology information-sharing capabilities, and consumer satisfaction and to enhance areas of co-regulation in line with the Federal Government’s digital economy mandate.

The new MoU replaces one that was first signed by both organizations, which expired in 2022.

It provides complementary approaches to deter unapproved lottery/gaming practices on telecommunications platforms through information and intelligence sharing in recognition of how unapproved lottery and gaming activities and practices undermine the integrity of domestic and global gaming markets to the detriment of stakeholders in addition to undermining consumer confidence in these markets.

Under the agreement, following requests from NLRC, NCC shall endeavour to block or disable illegal lottery gaming operators on the telecommunications service providers’ platform in Nigeria and NLRC.

The document was developed by a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) comprising representatives of NCC and NLRC to implement the MoU and other matters that promote collaboration between both organizations in their regulatory functions.