The decision to reduce the winning for the Lotto bonus game from $300 to $250 is negatively impacting gaming agents and sellers.

The changes were made by the Gambling Control Authority (GCA) so sellers or agents of the bonus number game would make $100 instead of $50.

The only way the GCA makes a profit is through the licenses the agents have to apply for.

According to a source at the Samoa National Lotto, this was an initiative made by the SNL to push sellers to get licenses to operate bonus games as it is the policy placed by the GCA.

Speaking to some of the licensed agents who do not want to be named, a businesswoman said this new rule impacted her as an agent because most of her loyal bonus players do not want to play anymore as the winning money has been deducted.

Another seller who has been an agent for more than 20 years said she makes more than a thousand tala a week from the bonus because she has a large pool of people playing.

Sadly, she has had to cut down most of her players decided not to play because of the reduction in the winning money.

One man who used to pay up to $400 a week to play bonus confirmed to Samoa Observer that he decided to stop playing bonus games because the winning money has been reduced to $250 which he thinks is unfair.

An attempt to get a comment from the Samoa National Lotto Chief Executive Officer Tuala Tamaalelagi Siaki was unsuccessful, one senior employee said he's overseas and will return to work this week.