Forum seeks collaborative efforts to curb menace of underage gambling

 

Participants at a scientific conference organised by the Association of  Resident Doctors (ARD), have called for the collective efforts of all stakeholders – government, parents, teachers, organisations and the society to curb the menace of underage gambling.

The conference was organised by ARD, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, with the theme: “The Hidden Crisis: Underage Gambling – A Global and Regional Analysis of Scientific Evidence”.

The event had in attendance many secondary school students that were selected across different secondary schools in Lagos.

A Solicitor and Legal Advisor, Association of Nigerian Bookmakers, Barr. Olafadeke Akeju, said it was criminal offence for a person under the age of 18 years to gamble.

Akeju said it was wrong for a parent or an adult to give gadgets that has internet access to an underaged person without proper monitoring to ensure that the teenager was not watching or doing things not appropriate for his/her age bracket.

She, therefore, emphasised the need for parents to rise up to their responsibilities by giving adequate parental guidance and always monitor what their children watch or do on the internet, saying that the internet was a major means through which people gamble.

According to her, the quest to make quick money has lured many young underage individuals into gambling, stressing that quick money is never made through gambling as some people believed.

“There is need for proper monitoring of the contents of what underage persons watch on the phones and internet because most times these children get involved in gambling through the internet.

“The believe that quick money can be made through gambling is not true; you are bound to spend far more than what you may gain in gambling.

“Hence, the need for enlightenment and sensitisation  of the underage and young ones on the inherent dangers of gambling and the need to stay away from it,” Akeju said.

Dr Kemi Alalade, a Psychiatrist with the Child/Adolescent Centre, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Oshodi Annex, advised the students to see gambling as something they were not supposed to go into.

Alalade explained that exposure to gambling at a younger age was bad, as it could result to social, psychological, physical, mental and financial consequences/effects.

She listed the long and short-term effects of gambling to include academy distortion, indebtedness, depression, anxiety disorder, financial mismanagement and suicide.

She identified the bureaucracies in accessing treatment as a challenge, saying that many people with gambling addiction were unwilling to approach hospitals to seek for help.

“Gambling addiction is a habit that comes with lots of consequences; it can not  only deter an individual from actualising his/her potential in life, but, can also push someone into depression, anxiety and even suicide.

“Gambling platforms should be made inaccessible to the minors and underaged.

“Hence, the need for collective efforts of all stakeholders – the government, parents, teachers, policymakers, organisations in providing the evidence-based solutions needed for shaping future response of underage gambling,” Alalade said.

Speaking, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, emphasised the need for increased advocacy and sensitisation on the dangers of underage gambling.

Owoeye said there should be laws and policies guiding operation of the institutions and associations that manage gaming and gambling activities.

According to him, this is very necessary to ensure adequate regulation of the system such that young and underage persons will not have access to it.

He noted that with increased advocacy on gambling the younger ones would be made to understand the inherent dangers and thereby desist from gambling, saying that the psychological effects of gambling could be terrible as it could  totally ruin someone’s life and future.

Engr. Femi Okubanjo, Head, Information & Technology, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, said the state government had actually put in place a lot of policies, advocacies and programmes to enlighten the adolescents on the dangers of underage gambling.

Okubanjo said the major objective was to deter individual below the age of 18years from participating in gambling.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders – the parents, teachers, organisations and the society to collaborate with the government to ensure that these programmes actually reach their children for them to understand the dangers in participating in gambling below the age of 18.

Earlier, the President of ARD, Dr Salawu Abiola said that it was important to address the issue of underage gambling as it is becoming more prevalent in the society despite the extant lottery law prohibit gambling among individuals below the age 18.

Abiola said that the psychological impacts as well as the social impacts of underage gambling on the individual were noteworthy.

“In addition, poor educational performance, poor financial management, anti-social behaviours are also some of ripple  effects of underage gambling.

“As mental health experts, we need to double up our advocacy mandate and attempt at mitigating underage gambling as it is pertinent issue, perhaps working with stakeholders in the gaming industry, NGO and private organisations so as to safeguard the mental health and future of the young Nigerians,” he said.