The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has been urged to abide by the Lottery Regulatory Commission Act, 2005, by the House of Representatives, which has decided to outlaw sports betting nationwide.
At Thursday’s plenary in Abuja, Rep. Kelechi Nwogu (PDP-Rivers) adopted a motion, which was followed by the resolution.
It was previously reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 60 million Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 40 bet on sports.
He claims that inadequate or disregarded laws governing sports betting are to blame for the rise in mental health issues like addiction, despair, and anxiety.
In addition, Nwogu said that it had resulted in stress or strained relationships because of people lying or stealing from friends and family, as well as financial difficulties, legal troubles, and job loss because of excessive debt or loss.
He claimed that “betting has led to an increased crime rate and eventual suicide.”
He repeatedly emphasized the necessity of campaigns to stop the detrimental social effects of lotteries and underage participation.
After passing the motion, the House called on the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to launch a broad, national campaign to educate people about the dangers of underage sports betting.
The Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs was also directed by the House to hold a public hearing on the harmful impacts of sports betting in Nigeria.
It asked the committee to submit a report to it for additional legislative action in a span of four weeks.
According to data from the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), over 65 million Nigerians actively bet, with an average daily expenditure of fifteen dollars, according to NAN.
According to NAN, Nigerians bet on sports online for an estimated 975 million dollars a day, or roughly 356 billion dollars a year. (NAN)
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