The Supreme Court has invalidated the National Lottery Act 2005, declaring that the National Assembly lacks the authority to legislate on lottery and games of chance.

The court ruled that only state Houses of Assembly have the constitutional power to regulate lottery and games of chance within their territories.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, clarified that the National Assembly can only legislate on such matters for the Federal Capital Territory.

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Lagos State, with Ekiti State as a co-plaintiff, sought a declaration that the regulation of lotteries does not fall under the 68 items for which the National Assembly can legislate.

Following the 2020 order, 34 other states’ attorneys general were added as defendants, marking the legal complexity of the case.

The plaintiffs asked the court to confirm that the National Assembly lacks the constitutional power to regulate or control lottery operations in Nigeria.

This landmark decision reinforces the autonomy of states in regulating lottery activities, with implications for the gaming industry across Nigeria.

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