Gamble Alert Rallies Industry Stakeholders to Tackle Problem Gambling Head-on

Iyke Bede reports on a recent Responsible Gaming Symposium organised by the non-profit body Gamble Alert to address the growing gap in responsible gaming practices, raising concerns about the social costs of unchecked betting

In 2023, Nigerians wagered over ₦730 billion on sports betting, with nearly 60 million people placing bets regularly. As the industry continues to grow, so does the number of bettors and, with it, the cases of problem gambling.

This steady rise signals a growing gap in responsible gaming practices, raising concerns about the social costs of unchecked betting. It was in response to this challenge that stakeholders convened at a recent Responsible Gaming Symposium organised by the non-profit organisation Gamble Alert to address the issues and push for practical solutions.

Olajide Boladuro

Platforming operators, regulators, and stakeholders across the sports betting and casino sectors, each representative, guided by the standard operating procedures of their respective organisations to prevent problem gambling, shared insights into the measured steps being taken to identify individuals with problem gambling and provide them with appropriate support systems: self-exclusion, counselling, among others.

Fisayo Oke

Guided by the symposium’s theme of ‘Building a Sustainable Industry Through Responsible Gaming Practices’, operators, during a plenary session, highlighted their role in curbing problem gambling using tools such as KYC to screen potential underaged and vulnerable punters, advertising and marketing choices, self-exclusion tools embedded on their websites, hotlines, sensitization campaigns, training of agents, and channelling more resources to self-regulate.

Kayode Kolawole

While these approaches are widely adopted, Olabimpe Akingba, Head of Responsible Gaming at PawaTech, charged operators to view compliance with responsible gaming as not just another box ticked but rather as one that should be viewed through a lens of helping punters make informed decisions, emphasising that healthy punters equate to a sustainable sector.

On his part, the President of Casino Gaming Operators, Abayomi Oketope, pointed out the ineffectiveness of current self-exclusion practices due to their being operator-specific, stating that punters who self-exclude on one platform hop onto the next to feed their addiction to gambling. Oketope further pointed out the need for a central database where a self-exclusion act by a punter triggers a ripple effect on other platforms, effectively locking that punter out of the system until the time barrier is lifted and the punter can provide proof of seeking help. He also suggested the introduction of a single, universal hotline accessible to punters across all registered platforms, as well as the integration of support institutions like Gamble Alert into each platform.

Adetoun Adeyemi

During another plenary session tagged ‘Promoting Compliance and Sustainability: Emphasis on the Importance of Regulation’, regulators—Director-General, Oyo State Gaming Board, Olajide Boladuro; Executive Secretary, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Adetoun Adeyemi; and Executive Secretary, Enugu State Gaming and Lotto Commission, Arinze Arum—weighed in on how regulation is shaping the gaming landscape to tackle problem gambling effectively.

Gossy Ukanwoke

“Players making informed decisions is a bit hard to track,” Boladuro noted, referencing some setbacks experienced by the Board around monitoring adverts dished to punters. “You need technology to have an oversight of that. What we know in Oyo State is that we need to create an environment that the punter understands—why they shouldn’t burden themselves into thinking that betting is a gateway to prosperity. It is a form of entertainment.”

Boladuro also reiterated the importance of a Central Monitoring System and steps being taken by the Federation of State Gaming Regulations in Nigeria (FSGRN) to establish such systems through its vast network of operators spread across all six geopolitical zones.

L-R: Oluwakemi Adebiyi, Gift Tamunopreye Tuadibofa and Zuma Oladele-Alabi

Arum pushed for the training of agents to truly understand the domino effect that comes from a lack of oversight in physical settings, where KYC is sometimes bypassed to boost sales and commission.

Fadeke Akeju and Bimpe Akingba (r)

“Agents are the faces of the industry. They hold the key, as not everyone can play from the comfort of their homes. The first port of call for responsible gaming is towards the agents, and we have identified that and are coming up with initiatives,” Arum said.

He also mentioned that the lack of training for agents is part of the problem; most operators hand out terminals and let agents figure out the rest on their own.

“Constant training of agents will help them identify, based on patterns, early signs of gambling addiction,” Arum stated.

In closing, the symposium reinforced that fostering a culture of responsible gaming cannot rest solely on compliance checklists or individual good intentions. It requires a unified, industry-wide commitment—one where operators, regulators, and advocacy groups work hand in hand to protect vulnerable punters, enforce ethical standards, and embed long-term sustainability into the DNA of Nigeria’s betting ecosystem.

Breakout sessions further deepened this engagement, offering participants practical insights into how marketing and advertising influence responsible gaming, the implementation of effective player protection measures, and actionable ways operators can integrate these safeguards into their business models.