How Betting Addiction Is Stealing the Future of Our Youth

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By Editorial Team

Across Nigeria, gambling addiction among young people has become a silent crisis threatening the nation’s future. From Lagos to Kano, Enugu to Port Harcourt, betting shops are springing up like mushrooms and so are the number of youths who spend their entire day chasing a jackpot that rarely comes.

What is driving this trend is the dangerous “get rich quick” mentality, a belief that wealth can come without honest work. Many young Nigerians no longer want to endure the discipline of education, vocational training, or learning a trade. Instead, they stake their hopes and meagre earnings on the turn of a roulette wheel, the outcome of a football match, or the spin of a virtual slot.

When Betting Becomes a Daily Hustle

Disturbingly, some graduates, frustrated by unemployment, now treat gambling as a full-time job. Every morning, they dress smartly in corporate wear, not to attend a job interview or start a business, but to “resume” at a betting shop, spending hours placing bets until evening. For them, this has become the new hustle, a dangerous one that rarely ends well.

Faith and Culture Speak Against Gambling

Both Islam and Christianity strongly warn against gambling. The Qur’an clearly states:
“O you who have believed, indeed intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters, and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” (Qur’an 5:90)

The Bible is equally clear:
“Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” (Proverbs 13:11, NLT)

Even traditional African belief systems frown on laziness and dishonest gain. In Yoruba culture, the proverb “Ohun tí a bá fi èké j’ẹ, èké á máa bá a jẹ” warns that wealth acquired wrongly will eventually ruin its owner.

Society’s Dangerous Endorsement of Sudden Wealth

We cannot ignore society’s role in fueling this menace. Today, anyone who suddenly becomes rich, no matter how questionable the source is celebrated, elevated and given respect.

We invite them to social events, hand them the microphone and treat them as role models, without asking hard questions about their wealth.

This dangerous culture sends the wrong message to young people: that integrity and hard work are unnecessary and that overnight riches are the ultimate measure of success.

The Urgent Need for Regulation

The gambling industry in Nigeria is booming, but its growth is largely unregulated in many states. Betting companies aggressively target vulnerable youths with flashy adverts, bonus offers and “sure odds” promises.

Relevant government agencies from the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to state authorities must enforce stricter rules on gambling advertisements, betting shop licensing and age restrictions.

Just as we regulate tobacco and alcohol because of their harmful effects, gambling must be monitored to protect young Nigerians from financial and psychological ruin.

A Call to Our Youth

Young Nigerians must realise that gambling is a trap. It enriches the betting companies while impoverishing the players. For every winner splashed across a billboard, thousands have lost their hard-earned money in silence.

True wealth comes from hard work, creativity and persistence, not from staking your last ₦500 on a match you cannot control.

Instead of making the rich richer and yourself poorer, channel your energy into skills that can guarantee a sustainable income and dignity.

We Must Act Now

Gambling addiction is eating deep into the fabric of our society. Parents, religious leaders, schools, government and the media must unite to confront this scourge before it robs us of an entire generation.

Nigeria cannot afford to watch silently as its youth gamble away their future. The time to act is now.