Mixed reactions greet Kano Hisbah’s plan to close betting shops

The Kano State Hisbah Board has threatened to arrest any person found engaging in gambling, even as it moves to shut down betting shops with renewed determination.

While justifying the move, the Kano Hisbah Board insisted that “betting is illegal under the state’s Sharia law.”

Arewa TheNigerian recalls that the Supreme Court last Friday overturned the 2005 National Lottery Act, which established the National Lottery Commission and legalised sports betting and gambling across the country.

Similarly, the court ruled that gambling regulation falls under the jurisdiction of state governments, marking a significant shift in the oversight of the industry.

However, the ruling has sparked immediate reactions, particularly in Kano State, where Islamic Sharia law operates alongside federal laws.

While speaking with the Director-General of the State Hisbah Board, Dr. Abba Sufi, he disclosed that the board would crack down on betting establishments, stressing, “We will resume our clampdown on betting shops with renewed determination since betting is illegal under Kano State Sharia law.”

According to him, with this verdict, the controversy over who should be in charge of lottery legislation between the federal government and state governments has been settled.

Sufi said the lottery law had been a source of contention due to its perceived endorsement of gambling, which is forbidden in Islam.

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