The House of Representatives, on Thursday, resolved to put an end to sports betting in the country.
Following the decision, the House urged the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to comply with the Lottery Regulatory Commission Act, 2005.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Kelechi Nwogu (Rivers), Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker, at plenary in Abuja.
Reports reveal that approximately 60 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 engage in sports betting.
Nwogu noted that weak or neglected regulations of sports betting have given rise to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.
He added that it had also led to 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.
“Betting has given rise to an increased crime rate and eventual suicide,” he said.
He harped on the need for campaigns to prevent the negative social impact of lottery and underage participation.
The House, adopting the motion, 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.
The House also mandated the Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs to conduct a public hearing on the dangerous effects of sports betting in Nigeria.
It urged the committee to report back to it within four weeks for further legislative action.
Data from the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), according to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), revealed that over 65 million Nigerians actively engage in betting, spending an average of 15 dollars daily.
NAN reports that Nigerians spend an estimated 975 million dollars daily on online sports betting, which amounts to about 356 billion dollars annually.
