SPECIAL REPORT: How sports betting, gambling ruin lives of young Nigerians

By Quadri Adejumo

In Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, Rufai, a 32-year-old vulcaniser, was seen profusely sweating as he stared at a big television screen. He just lost N4,600 to the virtual betting game. The interesting part was, that he didn’t lose the money in one take, he kept sinking his money into the game till it dawned on him. 

“Baby don chop him money [virtual has taken his money],” one of the bettors said, with others laughing hard.

Virtual sports betting, known as “Baby,” involves placing bets on computer-simulated games where algorithms determine outcomes. It’s purely luck-based, with results decided in under a minute. Bettors can bet on games like ‘colour colour’, dog and horse racing, football, and more.

This is not new to them. Every one of them consistently loses to the game, but this won’t stop them from playing and coming back. With a dirty piece of a football betting slip and a pen, Rufai carefully writes his next choices to bet on. His betting journey continues.

“Kosi time seh [there’s no time at all],” Rufai says as he faces the business that pays him – arranging his game for his next bet.

Rufai told this reporter that he’s not new to losing. In fact, he’s lost more than he’s won. “I once lost 70k on a single game. I haven’t even won half of all the money I’ve lost. For someone like us, if the government stops betting, we might die. This is our own way of living,” Rufai disclosed.

A path to ruin

This is not an isolated incident. It doesn’t happen in one place. Across Nigeria, sport betting and all forms of gambling have surged in popularity, promising quick riches but often delivering financial ruin.

Although this is not a disease, its effects are just as pervasive. It has ruined lives, it has destroyed individuals. People have gone from being wealthy to being broke, broke to poverty, and poverty to being in penury because of gambling.

The urge to win back lost proceedings has enticed many, often leading them to come back for more. “If I stop coming, how do I win all the money I’ve lost? I can never stop. It pays me to put my money here rather than eating something good,” Fatai, another bettor, told our reporter. 

For Fatai, it’s an affair that can’t be separated.

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One of Nigeria’s largest betting markets is Lagos, where gambling establishments dominate both urban and rural areas. In neighbourhoods like Agege, Mushin, Ojuelegba, Ijora Badia, and Patey, it’s common to find two to five betting shops on a single street. Even the affluent areas are not exempt. From Ikoyi and Victoria Island to Lekki and Ajah, bettors routinely pour their savings into these establishments.

To truly understand the lives of these bettors, one must visit these hotspots. Here, stories of addiction, financial ruin, and dashed hopes abound, painting a vivid picture of the human cost of sports betting.

David, a student of the University of Lagos, recounts how he started betting casually with friends, but what began as harmless fun soon became a destructive addiction. 

“I kept saying to myself; ‘just one more bet’, and everything will change. Instead, I lost everything. It got so bad for me. In fact, I once lost my school fees.”

David is one of the many Nigerians deeply engrossed in playing premier lotto and pool games. In these forms of gambling, players bet on specific numbers, hoping that their chosen numbers will match the winning combinations.

“Every day, I take my time to select my numbers, and even at this, I still lose. Since I’ve been playing, I’ve only won a few times. I’ve lost thousands of money,” David says. For David, the charm lies in the tempting possibility of turning a small stake into a significant result. However, the cruel truth is that such triumphs are rare.

The trio stories are a grim reflection of a growing epidemic. For some, the betting shop is a workplace. For others, it is their worship place. Early morning, or late night. You’d find multitudes packed in these hot like congregational gatherings.

What are the numbers?

One of Nigeria’s fastest-growing industries is the betting sector, which is expanding rapidly. According to a March 2023 report by Orange Business Intelligence Technology (ORBIT), Nigeria’s betting industry generated over $2 billion in revenue in 2020. This growth is fueled by over 60 million Nigerians aged 18 to 40 who spend $5.5 million daily on betting activities.

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The National Sports Industry Policy from the same year projected that the industry could generate up to $4.7 billion in annual revenue (AAR), create as many as 10 million jobs, and contribute between 1.5 to 3 per cent of the GDP over the next decade.

The financial toll on individuals and families is a growing concern. 65 million Nigerians spend an average of $15 per day on betting, according to Bello Maigari, executive secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund—a government agency that allocates a portion of gambling revenue to social causes. For many, this expenditure represents a substantial part of their income, often leading to severe financial strain.

The effects of this spending are profound. Many bettors find themselves caught up in a cycle of debt, borrowing money to recover losses and subsequently plummeting deeper into financial hardship.

Sports betting is not rampant in Nigeria alone, it has become a part of daily life for many Africans. According to the GeoPoll statistics above, sports betting participation among African youths shows Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as the top markets. Here, Kenya has the highest percentage of African bets (83.90%), followed by Nigeria (78%), and South Africa (74%).

In a woman’s world

As men rally round playing bets and gambling, occasionally, women join them too. Driven by the same aspirations, and echoing the popular saying, “What a man can do, a woman can do too.”

Bimbo, 23, turned to sports betting out of curiosity. She saw a male friend make money through betting and asked him to share his betting knowledge.

“I started betting through a friend. The first win felt like a miracle,” Bimbo remembers. “I thought maybe this was a way to make easy money.” However, the more she lost, the more she gambled. Her life took a negative turn as she was slowly turning into an addict.

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Bimbo’s breaking point came when she lost her brother’s hospital fee on a basketball game. “My brother was sick at the hospital for days. My father sent me money to complete the hospital fee, instead, I placed it on a bet. I lost the money,” Bimbo recounts. “I had help through a friend who lent me money.”

Underage not exempted 

Underage gambling is a growing crisis in Nigeria. Across the country, minors are increasingly drawn into the world of gambling. These young individuals can be found frequenting betting shops, lingering on street corners, and some placing bets on their mobile phones.

Speaking with our reporter,  Ojo, a 16-year-old boy from the Beere area of Ibadan said he is already addicted to the gambling because he believes gambling is the only escape from poverty.

Beere is a slum area in Ibadan, where monitoring and enforcing laws are next to impossible. Occasionally, these are no-go areas for security officials because of the volatility of the areas.

“Many of my mates patronize betting shops here without restriction,” Ojo reveals. “We’re familiar with the shop agents, and also, the police do not come here to check what’s happening.”

The agents running these betting shops often turn a blind eye to underaged gamblers. When contacted, a BetKing shop agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claims that while his shop doesn’t allow underage betting, others do, largely due to the environment. 

“You have no choice in slum areas. Sometimes, these children are sent by their parents and elders to play these games. And with less security in the environment, you can be in danger if you stand as a hindrance,” he said.

Consequences on children

The social consequences of betting on children are far too damaging as it leads to a decline in academic performance. It also leads to behavioral issues, including aggression and stealing.

Kosisochukwu Asogwa, a clinical psychologist and behaviour analyst, spoke with our reporter on the impact of gambling on underage children. “For the underage, the pattern we usually see in clinics is troubling,” Kosisochukwu noted. “They often drop out of school and turn to social vices to keep up their gambling habits. Most of these children come from dysfunctional homes, often from lower economic backgrounds. This is a common thread we’ve observed in our work.”

“Many of these young individuals begin with substance abuse, and soon, depression sets in,” she said. “Especially when they recognize their problem but don’t know how to manage it, which only exacerbates their mental health issues.”

Gamble Alert, a Nigerian nonprofit dedicated to helping those with gambling addictions, shared the organization’s mission into combating the issue. 

“Our support services include therapy sessions. We work on prevention and provide clinical assistance to both underage individuals and young adults struggling with gambling addiction,” Bernadette Ewomazino, Head of Operations told our reporter. “We have many people who are currently recovering and doing well,” she explained.

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Ewomazino emphasised the importance of stricter regulations to curb the growing problem. “One measure we advocate for is the reduction of gambling advertisements, which should be properly regulated. There needs to be a policy that requires gamblers to provide means of identification, ensuring that only those over 18 can participate. This regulation should extend to all betting platforms,” she said.

“Regulators should implement a unified framework to protect gamblers, including setting time and money limits on gambling. Once these limits are exceeded, individuals should be placed on a red alert system that stops them from betting on all platforms for a specified period. Implementing these measures would significantly reduce the number of addicted gamblers in the country.”

What the law says

Section 34 of the National Lottery Act 2005 frowns against betting by minors.  The law says “any person who knowingly sells to any person under the age of eighteen years any ticket in a lottery operated by a license commits an offense 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.”

Despite the provision of the law, around 57.2 per cent of Nigerian school children were estimated to have gambled at least once in their lifetime, according to a 2019 report on gambling in the country.

When contacted for comment, the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Oyo State Gaming Board, and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, NLRC, did not respond to our reporter’s enquiries. 

Role of technology

Mobile betting apps and online platforms now enable individuals to place bets effortlessly from the comfort of their homes. According to TGM’s international survey results, 92,8% of sports fans who participate in sports betting do this primarily via the internet/mobile apps.

Trauma 

“Never did I think I’d get hooked,” David recalls. “I emptied my savings, and even borrowed money from friends and family,” he admits. “I was drowning in debt, but I couldn’t stop.”

One morning, in a state of hopelessness, David thought of killing himself. “I thought ending my life was the only way out. I was ready to drink Sniper,” Chika confesses.

The tragic stories of individuals driven to the brink by gambling losses highlight the urgent need for awareness and intervention.

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In May 2024, a Nigerian student named Samuel Adegoke committed suicide after losing both his and a friend’s school fees to gambling. Few months later, another man in Abia State ended his own life after failing to win a 2.5 million naira bet.

While Nigeria struggles with the negative impact of sports betting and gambling, experts have urged the government and regulatory authorities to take measures that are effective in addressing these issues.

“Family, friends and support groups play a strong role in supporting persons with addiction,” Kosisochukwu noted. “We still need a lot of awareness of the problem. Awareness is key. People need to know the effects of betting and sports gambling.”