It is a hard fact that Liberia was built on Christian principles, and the Holy Scriptures says in 1Thimothy 6:9—10, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” These verses, according to Biblical scholars, speak directly to gaining wealth hastily, including gambling, and not by the three traditional means: working, barter and gifts or inheritance.
However, investigation being conducted by the Hot Pepper reveals that the National Lottery Authority (NLA), under the administration of Neved Kortu, is about to turn little Monrovia into a city of gambling. Apart from the smaller betting companies found almost everywhere—Winner, GoBet231, BetToMax, Doxx—which are generally acceptable under Liberian law, there are laws regulating the operation of casinos in Liberia.
According to the gambling laws of Liberia, only four casino licenses can be issued in the Republic of Liberia, and they must be situated in approved locations. The law further states that the license is granted for a particular casino on an approved location and site, and is not transferrable to another branch or location.
The law is clear that a casino license application shall be denied if the place for which the license is sought is unsuitable for the conduct of gambling operation. It further states that no casino should operate in the vicinity of religious institutions, schools and hospitals. It also prohibits casino from being in the location of private homes and residents, or located in a place where gambling is prohibited due to the valid zoning ordinance.
As clear as the gambling laws are, the Director of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Neved Kortu, for reasons known to him and his Board, has, without any remorse, opted to violate and break the gambling laws by approving two casino licenses in areas deemed unsuitable for the operation of gambling activities.
One of the two communities earmarked for the gambling sites hosts the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Memorial Hospital, Len Miller, Apostolic Foundation, A.M. Fofana and Liberia Islamic Unity Foundation schools, the Unity Mosque and Apostolic church, in addition to it being far less than the four miles from another casino.
The other site is located near a playground, a few elementary and junior high schools and two churches and a modern hospital.
The gambling laws are transparently clear that the license authority can only issue four licenses in the Republic of Liberia, and licenses are not transferrable. The four gambling licenses have already been approved and issued to the Mamba Point Hotel, downtown Monrovia; Farmington Hotel, Harbel, Maigibi County; Riverside Hotel, Virginia; and the Palm Spring Hotel, Congo Town, outskirts of Monrovia.
Section 5.2.1 of the Gaming Regulation of Liberia, 2016, (Approved Location for Gaming Machine), says a gaming machine business shall be conducted only in approved locations. According to Section 5.2.2, “An application for a license shall be denied if the place or location for which the license is sought is unsuitable for the conduct of gaming operation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following places or locations are deemed unsuitable: premises located within the immediate vicinity of religious institutions, schools, and hospital; private homes and/or residences; premises located within four (4) miles of a casino; and premises located in a place where gaming is contrary to a valid zoning ordinance.”
The investigation reveals that the NLA is poised to give out the licenses, as they have apparently solicited huge bribes from those wanting the licenses. NLA Director Kortu confirmed to the Hot Pepper that they have received application for gambling licenses and that they are carrying out due diligence before they can make final decision on the matter. He however insinuated that other licenses granted by past NLA leaders do not conform to the laws of the land; as such, the laws need to be revisited before they can be fully implemented.
An NLA insider has told the paper that the NLA needs to do the right thing to save little Monrovia from turning into a gambling city, as four casinos between Mamba Point and ELWA intersection are just too much for a country still preaching morality.
It can be recalled that in 2019 Vice President Jewel Howard presided over a big gambling meeting at the NLA head office and denied the granting of license to a company that sought to operate around the Old Road intersection—a community hosting Cuttington Graduate School and a number of religious institutions. Observers described the decision as protecting the moral grounds of little Monrovia. However, it seems like a greater task is at hand—either to save face again or plunge the country into immorality.