Resolving to outlaw sports betting nationwide, the House of Representatives also urged the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to abide by the Lottery Regulatory Commission Act of 2005.
Rep. Kelechi Nwogu (PDP-Rivers) made a motion, which was adopted at Thursday’s plenary in Abuja, leading to the resolution.
About 60 million Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 40 bet on sports, according to a previous report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He claims that mental health issues like addiction, depression, and anxiety have been brought on by lax or nonexistent sports betting laws.
Nwogu continued, stating that it had also resulted in stress or strained relationships because of deceit or theft from friends and family, as well as financial troubles, legal troubles, and job loss as a result of excessive loss or debt.
He declared, “Betting has led to a rise in crime and ultimately suicide.”
He repeatedly emphasized the need for campaigns to stop underage participation in lotteries and their detrimental social effects.
By passing the motion, the House pushed for a comprehensive national campaign to educate the public about the detrimental effects of underage sports betting on the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Additionally, the House ordered a public hearing on the harmful impacts of sports betting in Nigeria by the Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs.
It requested a report from the committee in the next four weeks so that it could take additional legislative action.
Over 65 million Nigerians actively bet, according to data from the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), with an average daily expenditure of fifteen dollars. This information is reported by NAN.
Nigerians bet on sports online for an estimated 975 million dollars a day, or roughly 356 billion dollars a year, according to NAN. (NANO)
