Sports betting is a legal activity enjoyed by the Gambian populace. However, recent happenings have shown that sports betting is gradually becoming a cause for great concern and attention. An increasing number of Gambian youths are addicted to betting which is extremely inimical to the society.
The government has been urged to address this issue by implementing high restrictions on sports betting. The focus is on younger stars and school children who believe they can make a living from betting.
The prevalence of betting shops in every nook and cranny of the country, especially the Greater Banjul area is alarming. This is undeniably one of the major causes of the gambling problems noted in young adults. Betting shops are easily established and accessible to people of all demographics without proper verification.
The government once took a drastic step in 2015 by banning all gambling activities in the country. It justified this action by stating that the Gambian society was founded upon values like integrity which sports betting doesn’t represent.
Saihou Jobe, a taxi driver, during an interview stressed that sports betting is indeed a major problem in the country. According to him, the young ones must be protected from this epidemic; if not, the country’s future will be jeopardized. He further added that if left unattended to, sports betting and other gambling activities will annihilate “our moral and social developments.”
He rounded off his apprehension by addressing the detrimental psychological effects of betting on punters and society at large. He cited many instances where young men have attempted suicide because they lost a bet. In some instances, gamblers resort to stealing to make up for their loss or to bet again.
Musa Jallow, an avid punter, confessed to betting with other people’s money in hopes of winning it back. He unfortunately lost his brother’s D7000 in a bet, which led to his brother kicking him out and rendering him homeless. “The government should really intervene to help establish a thorough mechanism of discouraging the focus and laziness of youths caused by gambling.” he said.
To sum it up, the outright ban of sports betting isn’t the panacea to all problems associated with betting. Instead, the government should make strict gambling laws and regulations that protect punters from the negative effects of betting. Most importantly, operators should also be held accountable if they drop the ball by failing to uphold and promote responsible gambling at any time.