The NLC has a range of stakeholders who have influence over the NLC and its operations and/or over whom the NLC has influence.

Stakeholder information

The NLC has a range of stakeholders who have influence over the NLC and its operations and/or over whom the NLC has influence. The table below covers the key stakeholders, explains their influence on the NLC or the influence over them, the means of NLC engagement, their main needs, interests and expectations and how the NLC has responded to these:

National Lottery licensed operator and other lotteries
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Revenue Sustainability Influence public perception Image and integrity of the Board	Biannual joint board meetings Monthly joint operations meetings Ongoing basis	Regulatory fairness Interaction Predictability Promptness Approvals and continuity
NLC response: The NLC Board provided oversight of the monitoring of the licencee. The Board considered and approved the Operator’s business and marketing plans, which include the Game Design. The NLC strengthened relations with enforcement agencies to create an enabling environment for the Licencee
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Government, government agencies and regulators The NLC is accountable to its Shareholder, being the government, and has established relationships with other key government stakeholders pursuant to its objectives
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Approvals and timing of: - Approvals - Assistance Appointment of Board/Distributing Agencies Legislation Regulatory environment Remuneration Sanction Legislation	Portfolio Committee engagements Ministerial engagements the dti CCRD initiatives Agreed methods through MOUs Prescribed reporting to respective portfolio committees, the dti, National Treasury	Conformance Governance continuity reporting Accountability Governance integrity Ethics Contribution to national priorities
NLC response: The Board and Commission engaged with Parliament on a quarterly basis, not only presenting the Commission’s quarterly performance but also addressing all matters of concern raised by the Portfolio Committee. There were two engagements with the Minister where policy, licence and reputation matters were discussed
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NLC applicants and beneficiaries The NLC is a grant maker and its key objective is to ensure equitable distribution of the NLTDF
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Quality of grants Public perception Turnaround Risk profile of the Board Geographic spread of funding Social impact Risk Public acknowledgement and declaration of grants received Public perception	Indabas and post indaba stakeholder engagements as detailed in the Operations Report Capacity building workshops as detailed in the Operations Report here	Clarity of criteria Transparency Responsiveness Turnaround Mentorship/guidance Interaction accessibility Fairness and consistency Visibility
NLC response: The NLC engaged with NLC applicants through the provincial Post Indaba Stakeholder Engagements, Education and Awareness sessions and various media platforms on NLC funding matters, encouraging Society Lotteries for Sustainability and capacity building of stakeholders
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The public and national lottery participants The NLC is required to protect the participants and raise public knowledge and awareness by developing and implementing educational and informational measures to educate the public about the lotteries and provisions of the Lotteries Act
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Ensuring the integrity of the lottery game to sustain interest in the lottery and growth in lottery ticket sales Uplift society through grant funding	NLC website Social media platforms Media coverage National Lottery draw shows	Transparency Integrity Assistance and counselling Visibility Communication Fair chance of realising their aspirations of winning Consistent delivery Information sharing Regulatory fairness Access to the National Lottery
NLC response: The Board provided oversight of Participant Protection related reviews conducted in accordance with the Licence Agreement, particularly the Random Number Generated Draws, Retailer and Winner’s reviews. The Board approved Participant Protection Strategy and Model for Society Lotteries.
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NLC employees and organised labour NLC employees are key drivers and inputs of the NLC
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Productivity Morale Public perception Performance effectiveness Policy	Quarterly staff meetings Internal communications Awareness sessions Wellness engagements	Fairness Respect of worker rights Equity Involvement Best practice Human Capital policies/practices. Conducive work environment. Adequate resourcing Transparency Ethical behaviour Framework for engagement Willingness to work Structures Enabling environment for association
NLC response: NLC Employees were provided with the organisation’s quarterly performance at the quarterly staff meetings. The NLC hosted its inaugural Staff Indaba themed “Zithande – The Brand of You”. Numerous wellness engagements were organised by employees and a two-day industrial action due to inflationary increases was addressed. The NLC continues to value and create channels of communication with employees.
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Media and interest groups The NLC’s reputation is a key element in the performance of the NLC as the custodian of public funds, ensuring the credibility of the National Lottery and player protection
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Public perception Policy Structure	Media briefings Press statements Information sharing on various media platforms	Transparency and fairness Control of excessive participation Communication involvement enforcement Regular communication Access to information Indaba Post-Indaba stakeholder engagements Social media Responses to enquiries Publishing of media statements
NLC response: The NLC engaged with the South African National Editors Forum. We also reached out to out stakeholders through numerous live broadcasts and print media to keep in touch and take every opportunity to engage our stakeholders through different media platforms. The response to media concerns through media responses and testing allegations levelled through various media platforms.
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Illegal lottery operators
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Enforcement Regulation of lottery operators	Registration of society lottery operators closing down of illegal and/prohibited lotteries	Interaction Predictability promptness approvals Continuity
NLC response: As part of our drive to position as a regulator, we conducted education and awareness campaigns, educating operators on how to register their operations and society lottery schemes. We shut down 100% of illegal lotteries investigated..
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Suppliers
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Risk Effectiveness Turnaround	Supplier development workshops are also conducted at all provinces to capacitate provinces on procurement matters Early payment to alleviate unnecessary cash flow pressures experienced by BEE suppliers Encourage joint ventures between large and small businesses Encourage sub-contracting to emerging Black enterprise and SMMEs	Transparency Fairness Consistent ethical behaviour
NLC response: We invested in localised procurement and empowering disadvantaged groups. We supported our suppliers through payment of invoices within 14 days of presenting invoices. The NLC maintained its internal control environment with no irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
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Auditor-General (AGSA)
Influence	Engagement	Needs, interests and expectations
Governance Compliance Public perception	Rigorous external audit processes	Conformance to legislation/standards Integrity Comprehensiveness and accuracy of information Reporting
NLC response: The NLC engaged robustly with external auditors during the 2018/19 audit in line with the external audit strategy and engagement letters. For the first time, site visits to sampled projects were undertaken. The NLC engaged with the AGSA at the scheduled Audit Steering Committee meetings.
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Regulatory response to legitimate needs of stakeholders

Key stakeholders of the NLC’s regulatory function include lottery participants, lottery operators and other gaming regulators.
The NLC strives to provide an enabling environment for licensed operators to conduct their affairs without a heavy regulatory burden to comply with. To this end, the NLC engages regularly with the National Lottery Operator to ensure that regulatory requirements are streamlined, and that National Lottery operations are conducted efficiently, while regulatory compliance is maintained.

As part of implementing one of the 2017 Indaba Resolutions to increase the uptake of society lotteries as a means of
fund-raising for NPOs, a model for conducting society lotteries was created to assist NPOs. Compliance seminars are also held with organisations to create awareness on the requirements of the Lotteries Act.

The Board approved the Participants Protection strategy which aims to ensure achievement of the NLC’s legislated mandate to protect interests of lottery participants. The strategy is implemented through workshops conducted across the country. Objectives of the strategy are to:

• identify best practice in respect of participants protection in the lotteries sector;
• enable the NLC to make responsible play an integral part of its regulatory mandate and in so doing, minimise harm to society;
• state clear rules for the National Lottery Operator (NLO), society and other lottery operators relating to their operations to:
  • ensure that interests of players and vulnerable groups are protected;
  • ensure that the Act and its regulations, together with requirements of the Licence, are strictly adhered to;
  • provide the public with accurate information to enable informed choices to be made about the National Lottery, society and other lotteries; and
• promote a positive reputation of the National Lottery, society and other lotteries that accurately reflect their integrity as regulated lotteries and scheme operators.