The increasing number of under-age people involved in betting and gambling in Nigeria is rather frightening. It is almost normal to see young boys who are not up to 18-years-old in betting and gambling houses across the county or using their phones to engage in betting. BENJAMIN SAMSON, in this report, seeks out experts’ take on its dangers and what can be done to curb it.

Teen gambler

At the entrance of some betting centres visited by this reporter in New Nyanya, Karu local government area of Nasarawa state, there were bold inscriptions warning that underage kids were not allowed entrance into the centres. But the opposite was what obtains inside the game centres as under-age kids, mostly males, could be seen in the centres.

A 15-year-old, Lawal Abiosun, told Blueprint Weekend that he was first introduced to sports betting in January, this year, by his friends.

“Initially, I felt reluctant to participate in the game because I thought it was a wasteful adventure. But after much persuasion by friends, I joined them to hang around the neighbourhood sports betting centre. I now enjoy the game because it is fun and sometimes lucrative,” he said.

What the law says

A lawyer, Nankwat Zamani, said the law prohibits under-age betting in Nigeria, stressing that Section 34 of the National Lottery Act, 2005, of Nigeria makes it illegal for minors to participate in gambling.

She said the terms and conditions governing lottery in Nigeria stipulates that only those that are 18 years and above are eligible and all the operators are expected to have the signs in their centres. For those with scratch cards, it is stated on those cards.

She said the law states that, “Any person who knowingly sells to any person under the age of eighteen years any ticket in a lottery operated by a licensee…commits an offence and shall be liable to conviction to a fine of not less than N20, 000 or imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or both such fine and imprisonment.”

Prevalence

She, however, said due to poor enforcement, thousands of under-age teenagers have taken to sports betting for varying reasons.

She said, “The prevalence of under-age gambling has increased dramatically in the recent past. Due to a shortage of knowledge and awareness regarding the risks associated with these activities, the growth of online gaming platforms has made it simpler than ever for young people to access these activities. Many adolescents, who are not yet aware of the long-term effects of their behaviour, see gambling as a fun pastime or a swift way to acquire riches.

“Young people are more likely to develop an addiction to the excitement and rush of thrills that gambling offers because their cognitive abilities are still maturing. A decrease in academic achievement, troubled relationships, and even suicidal thoughts can result from the strain and anxiety of losing money, which can harm a person’s mental health.

“It is not an overstatement to assert that the most vulnerable, including minors, are protected from worldwide exploitation in the gaming industry, especially when viewed through consumer protection laws. In actuality, adolescents are different from adults due to their level of biological and mental development, as well as their place in society and lack of experience. They are more susceptible to the adverse effects of gambling, and those negative effects are likely to have a significant impact on their lives both presently and in the foreseeable future.”

An operator’s disclosures

Despite placing the 18 plus banners conspicuously at the front and inside his betting shop, and being aware of that laws prohibit anybody under 18 years from participating in betting.

Chigozie Amakor, an operator of a betting agency, allows the under-age to place their bets on different games, including virtual and live football, and virtual dog and horse racing, among others.

Explaining his plight, he said that it is not always easy to tell the difference between some 15, 16, 17-year-old teenagers from 18, 19, and 20-year-olds, nor do they carry their birth certificates about.

He noted that no entrepreneur would deliberately go against the law and put his/her operating certificate at the risk of seizure or withdrawal, stressing that he chases bettors that are clearly underage away each time he notices.

He said, “Often times when I chase them away, some adults do show sympathy for them and buy cards, play and submit on their behalf. In such situations, the adults claim the cards are theirs.

“This is an area where a whole family; father, mother and their underage children partake in betting. They see it as a way of earning more income to maintain their family.  If you are too hard on the customers around here by operating according to the law, the people will force you out of business; they will see you as blocking their easy source of income. So, I only allow those that look like adults to come in, even when I know they are under 18 years. This is because any attempt to prevent them from betting would be tagged as an attempt to stop them from making progress.

“So, if you want to stop them, just be ready for trouble. You will even be surprised to see their parents supporting them against you. To save my business, I open for them in the evenings and sometimes on public holidays, when many people are not paying attention to who comes into my shop or comes out from it.”

Dangers

In his take, a psychologist, Dr. Ugbede Amana, warned against irresponsible gambling, saying it could lead to suicide cases, dysfunctional family, and social problems. He called on the government and regulators to sanction companies engaging in under-age betting and other forms of irresponsible gaming.

He said, “Irresponsible and underage betting must be avoided to prevent social and psychological disorders. Underage betting has caused and still causes a lot of damage. It affects the quality of life; the money which is supposed to be spent for important things might have gone on gambling. It causes family dysfunction.

 Under-age gambling must not be done because the under-age are the generation of tomorrow.

“The government as the chief regulator must provide oversight and ensure that gambling companies comply with the rules of the game and sanction those who refuse to comply and make sure companies involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take care of unintended consequences.’’

Suggestions on the way out

On how the issue should be effectively tackled, the Executive Secretary of Gamble Alert, a non-governmental organisation (NGO0, Fisayo Adebowale,  said from the survey conducted by the firm, it was revealed that youths below the age of 18 engaged in online betting as a result of their accessibility to smart phones. She called for strict compliance with age verification by betting applications.

She said, “Age verification is the process of checking a player’s age before allowing them to use a gambling service. It’s a standard process aimed at stopping underage gambling. It is usually done by checking a user’s details against government documents, such as a driving license or passport, in the on-boarding stage.

“At Gamble Alert, we understand that addressing underage addiction to betting requires a multi-faceted approach. That is why we have committed ourselves not only to healing the wounds inflicted by addiction but also to preventing future wounds from occurring.

“We have made significant strides in understanding the complexities of gambling addiction and its underlying causes. We collaborate with leading experts in the field, conducting studies that shed light on the psychological, social, and economic aspects of this pervasive issue.”

Continuing, she said, “In our relentless pursuit of prevention, we have implemented extensive awareness campaigns and sensitisation programmes.

“From the survey conducted, we want to create a solution that can help young people and restrict them so that they don’t get addicted to gambling, and also reduce the time spent on gambling

“Betting isn’t a crime; there is a legal age for betting in Nigeria which is 18 years. So, we are looking forward to partnering with lawmakers and regulators, sharing ideas with them for implementation, and looking forward to how they can regulate the gambling industry.”

Similarly, a legal practitioner, Isah Sakaba, while expressing concerns over the increasing involvement of children in betting, called on the government at all levels to checkmate such segments of population from patronising bet centres. He described betting as a bad habit for children under 18.

He said children were “fond of sneaking to bet centres to play games without being cautioned by bet agents.”

According to him, it is now becoming a norm in the country to see betting centres filled with teenagers placing their money on bets.

“It is worrisome seeing young children patronising bet houses without caution. It is not morally right for them to be seen around bet centres. We cannot continue to close our eyes and pretend everything is alright.

“The future of our children is at stake as we cannot continue to expose them to Bet. Everybody must rise and reject it. Parents, religious leaders, journalists among others must discourage and campaign against such evil acts.

“I am always surprised to see bet centres being occupied by teenagers without fear of being arrested. Government must be rigid and do something to discourage such acts for the sake of the future of Nigeria.

“Security agents must be on alert to punish any agent accommodating the underage to play games in bet centres.”

The legal practitioner also called on the government to ensure security agents were already on alert to monitor bet centres in their various jurisdictions.

He said it is a fictitious idea to say gambling brings wealth, noting that there is a link between gambling addiction and mental health.

He said, “The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) must strictly enforce current rules that ban under-age gambling, working with law enforcement to ensure penalties are applied when violations occur. The government and regulatory bodies must also control gambling advertisements, including restricting the types of ads allowed and ensuring that risks are disclosed during promotions.

“The youth must also be educated on the dangers of gambling. This should also be incorporated into the civic education curriculum for primary and secondary schools.”