The Lagos State Government has announced the implementation of a 5% withholding tax on gaming payouts, requiring licensed betting enterprises throughout the state to begin immediate automatic deductions from customer earnings.
Mr. Are Bashir, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, gave the direction in a public notice to licensed gaming platforms, confirming the immediate implementation of the tax system targeting gains made by regulated betting operators.
According to the letter sent on Friday, the state has begun to implement a 5% Withholding Tax (WHT) deduction on gaming profits in accordance with current Nigerian tax laws and regulatory regulations controlling the gaming industry.
The cut will be applied straight to the players’ earnings before payment is processed.
The letter stated that the tax applies to net winnings from licensed gambling platforms operating in Lagos State and will be deducted at the time of payment. All licensed gaming operators have been instructed to immediately comply with the framework.
Under the agreement, betting companies must automatically deduct a part of earnings and pay it to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), the statutory tax authority.
Officials explained that the policy is part of broader budgetary measures aimed at improving supervision, transparency, and responsibility in the fast-expanding gambling industry.
The legislation also imposes stronger identity verification requirements on players, including conformity with national identification rules.
According to the authorities, players must disclose their National Identification Number (NIN) in compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, while licensed operators must manage deductions and remittances in accordance with regulatory standards.
The government stated that bettors will get their profits net of the statutory deduction, with proper records kept for transparency. It further stated that the withheld tax would be used as a tax credit for players.
All licensed gambling operators in Lagos State have been legally advised to start the deductions immediately.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
