The Cross River State Government has launched a major crackdown on illegal and non-compliant online lottery and sports betting operators, following a new partnership designed to clean up the gaming industry and safeguard players.
Speaking in Abuja, the Director-General of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency, Hon. Micheal Eja, said the Agency’s recent integration with a leading search engine has strengthened its ability to track, regulate, and penalize erring online operators across digital platforms.
Eja revealed that one of the Agency’s toughest hurdles in the past was enforcing compliance against operators that lacked a physical presence in the state.
“In the past, our major challenge was the inability to enforce compliance, especially against online operators without a physical presence in the state,” he said.
He explained that this challenge had been addressed with the enactment and signing of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025, which now provides a legal basis for digital collaboration.
“Without an enabling law, we couldn’t approach Google, but that has changed. Thanks to the signing of the Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law 2025, we now have both the law and the tools to act,” Eja stated.
With the new arrangement, Eja said the Agency now has the authority to request the removal of illegal operators’ listings from the search engine, block unauthorized adverts, and initiate legal proceedings against violators.
He added that the move would help sanitise the gaming environment and protect players who have long fallen victim to unlicensed and fraudulent platforms.
“This is a win-win for everyone. Licensed operators under our Agency will now be able to advertise legally on Google platforms, while fraudulent operators will be blacklisted and sanctioned. Our duty is to monitor, enforce, and apply penalties where necessary,” he explained.
According to him, the enforcement campaign aligns with the state government’s broader agenda to foster transparency, accountability, and investor confidence in the gaming industry.
He also appealed to operators to align with regulatory standards and conduct business responsibly.
“We call on all gaming operators to embrace transparency, accountability, and full compliance with the law. Calabar is not just a place to do business, it’s a place to live and thrive,” he stressed.
