Association: Many Lotto agents struggle to reopen

WHILE the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) said on Tuesday that 90 per cent of Lotto operators had reopened last Monday, the agents association said up to a quarter of their members had not reopened owing to various problems. During the pandemic, outlets had been shut since May 17 to try to curb the spread of covid19, but with 425,422 people now with their first vaccine and 242,543 fully vaccinated, the Government has moved to restore commercial activities like Lotto plus a resumption of retailing next Monday.

Online Gaming Agents Association president Dean Persad told Newsday that agents were now “extremely happy” to be reopen and had enjoyed a “big rush” on Monday.

However, he estimated 70-75 per cent had reopened, while the rest stayed shut for different reasons.

“Unfortunately there were some agents who were not able to operate. One, we are having a lot of technical difficulty with some of the machines, being put down for so long.”

While two agents had earlier told him their machines were down, he said technicians were thinly spread in visiting booths nationwide.

He said some booths were shut owing to indebtedness to NLCB, while others were located in closed venues such as bars or malls.

While not condoning indebtedness, Persad asked for the NLCB’s compassion over agents using funds owed to the NLCB to simply stay afloat during the closure.

“In most cases these were people who were renting locations and had to pay the rent to keep NLCB machines intact as well. If they were evicted it would mean the NLCB would have to come and remove the machine or the agent would have to get the machine out and keep it home which is an illegal thing to do. So they were in bind, a real bind.

“We are just asking to work out a plan with them. Let them sign an agreement and reactivate the machine rather than keep it down.

“On average, an agent will give you $25,000-$30,000 in weekly sales.

“And most of us exceed that, (making) $35,000-$40,000 on a slow week. So NLCB will now be losing that money if the machines are down.” Agents too would lose.

“It’s a loss-loss situation.” Persad reckoned 150 machines had been deactivated owing to liability to NLCB, out of the 1,200 agents nationwide. Let agents work to pay their debts, he urged.

He hoped NLCB Chairman Eustace Nancis would reply to his letters seeking a meeting.

Nancis told Newsday Monday was an “excellent first day” of reopening. “It was smooth with no hiccups. Ninety per cent of all the agents were operating. A couple will start back in the course of the week. It went smoothly. Punters were happy to go back to start to play some games. I think we had an excellent first day start up with the lottery gaming system.

“A couple/few didn’t start back. I don’t know why. Maybe they were not 100 per cent prepared, but beyond that it was an excellent day, a smooth day, and the players are back and playing the games they like.”

Newsday asked if winning tickets from before the closure period were still redeemable.

Nancis replied, “All tickets will be honoured. As long as you had a winning ticket before the lockdown, as long as you present a winning ticket to the NLCB it will be honoured.”

These tickets can be cashed at an outlet or the NLCB head office.

He denied media speculation that just 50 per cent of booths had been likely to reopen.

“I proved them wrong. We had 90 per cent of the operators open their booths for business.

“It’s about 1,050-something, which is way above 90 per cent.” He said betting had returned to pre-closure levels.

Asked about claims of the NLCB deactivating the machines of Lotto operators in debt to the NLCB, Nancis said, “We do not have the facts about who actually owes and how much.” Nancis, however, confirmed the NLCB’s online notice for a $7.2 million jackpot for Wednesday’s Lotto. Newsday asked about the funding of this large jackpot.

Nancis said, “When you don’t have a winner it will roll over. Last time it was $5 million and it continued to roll over.”

He expected a good turnout on Wednesday by punters whom he advised to practise covid19 protocols of hand-sanitising, mask-wearing and social-distancing.

Nancis concluded, “I think the punters are happy the NLCB is up and running. They’ll enjoy it. They can take their winnings and put food on the table.

“People can start to pay their phone payments through the NLCB booths, and their TTEC and WASA bills. It’s a quick way to get it done and get back to their homes. They have easy access.” He said Lotto booths exist in every nook and cranny of TT. “We are there to help the population.

“It will relax the country. It’s a form of gaming. It’ll help ease things.

“The NLCB could be one of the institutions that is like a backbone of Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a solid institution.”