The NLA was originally established as the Department of National Lotteries in 1958 with a Mandate to organize raffles for the public to have fun and win prizes. In 1960, the Lotto and Betting Act 94 was passed into law to start lottery in Ghana with the aim of raising revenue to support the development of the country.

Over the past fifty years, the NLA has evolved from its earlier incarnation as a Civil Service Institution known as the Department of National Lotteries (DNL); it has been transformed into an autonomous Public Service Institution, with a legal monopoly on the organization of lotteries in Ghana, and one which is of the most important contributors to both Government revenues and employment generation.

Hence, in 2006, the passing of an Act of parliament, the National Lotto Act 722 gave birth to National Lottery Authority.

The first Director of the Department, Mr. F. W. Brennan, a Maltese, introduced the first Fixed Odds Lottery in Ghana, known as 5/90 Fixed Odds game because it involved picking five winning numbers out of 90. The first draw was conducted on September 29, 1962.

The Lotto Coupons used at that time were popularly referred to as “Manual” because Lotto Receivers who retailed the Lottery Products physically wrote the numbers chosen by customers on the coupons and duplicate submitted to the Lottery Authority before the draw is held. Winners of the draw were selected manually by DNL staff from the stocks of Lotto Coupons sold.

The growing popularity of the lottery game, the increasing patronage in the late 60’s and 70’s and sometimes human error in writing of the numbers on the coupons as well as the selection of the winners culminated into the Mechanized Lotto Coupon. The new coupon was introduced in 1979 to solve some of the inefficiencies of the Manual coupons.

The new coupons afforded lotto stakers /players the opportunity to select their five (5) lucky numbers from 1to 90 numbers which are printed on the coupons by crossing out the chosen numbers.

With the introduction of these coupons, winners are selected by feeding a specially devised machine with ‘staked coupons’ which will then select the winning coupons from non-winning ones. Winners are paid after a 1 month period thus reducing the payment time for manual tickets which was 3 months.