The Nigeria House of Representatives have reached a resolution for a ban on sports betting in Nigeria following a motion raised by Kelechi Nwogu (PDP-Rivers) at plenary in Abuja on Thursday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Nwogu in his submission said the absence of strict regulations of sports betting have given rise to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.
Reports by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has it that approximately 60 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 engage in sports betting, while data from National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) has revealed that over 65 million Nigerians actively engage in betting, spending an average of 15 dollars daily.
According to the data, Nigerians also spend an estimated 975 million dollars daily on online sports betting, which amounts to about 356 billion dollars annually. A statistic which the rep said has brought about strain or broken relationships due to lying or stealing from friends and family, financial problems, legal issues, and job loss due to excessive loss or debt.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to conduct a comprehensive nationwide campaign to raise public awareness about the negative impact of youth participation in sports betting.
It also mandated the Committee on Inter–Governmental Affairs to conduct a Public Hearing on the dangerous effects of sports betting in Nigeria and urged the committee to report back to it within four weeks for further legislative action.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
