06 Jun Tracking Addiction in Sports Betting
Tracking Addiction in Sports Betting
By Peace Adukwu
Sports betting, arguably among the most popular forms of entertainment in Nigeria, is quickly leading to addiction and compulsive behavior, especially among young people.
Addiction is a chronic (lifelong) condition that involves compulsively seeking and engaging in a substance or activity despite negative or harmful consequences. It can be characterised by different forms and patterns.
With that in mind, it appears that some people have become addicted to sports betting, depending on the activity to feel pleasure and allowing it to negatively interfere with their lives. Addiction mostly develops when a person consistently dabbles into irresponsible gaming by continuously increasing the number of gaming tickets purchased.
Experts say that gaming such as lottery, sports betting, and casino games, amongst others, activates the same pleasure centres in the brain as substance use disorder and other compulsive behaviours, causing unhealthy engagement.
The idea of winning is probably the best appeal, and many people most likely have an idea of what they would do if they won some extra cash. Therefore, gaming addiction can occur when someone becomes obsessed with the idea of winning the bet.
Sports betting is a popular form of gaming that encourages people to stake a small amount of money for the chance of winning, often regulated by state or federal governments.
The NLRC, for nearly Two decades, has existed as the apex regulator of the lottery/gaming industry in Nigeria, setting policies and guidelines for the operations of the lottery in Nigeria and generating revenue for government and good causes projects in Nigeria.
It is in this context that the National Assembly House of Representatives conducted a public hearing on the “need to curtail the dangerous effects of sports betting and direct the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to comply with the Lottery Act, 2005.”
With such observation and research on sports betting addiction made over time, here are some notable signs to look out for in gaming addiction, such as in sports betting, lottery, casino games, and others in order to avoid the risk-
- Feeling the urge to increase betting frequency
- Feeling anxious, sad, irritable, restless when not betting, and in severe cases, becoming aggressive or violent
- Betting to cope with emotions such as depression, anxiety, or stress
- Lying to cover up the extent of the problem
- Becoming distant from family, friends and colleagues
- Neglecting education or career opportunities because of the time and energy spent betting.
- Borrowing money to purchase betting tickets and scratch-offs
- Engaging in theft or fraud to support the habit.
- Jeopardising relationships to spend money on gaming
- Neglecting bills and other monetary responsibilities
- Scheduling daily time for gaming
- Feeling guilt or shame after betting or playing the lottery but continuing to play it
- Continuous betting to recover losses, but mostly losing more money.
- Financial embarrassment
- Seeking financial help from others because large sums of money have been lost through betting.
- Unsuccessful attempts to stop, cut down or reduce
It must be noted that sports betting or any form of gaming addiction is not the complete damnation of a person because it can be treatable. It is advisable to observe closely some of these signs once a change of character is noticed in someone. There is a possibility to stop the habit, recover fully with helpful treatment methods, and return to positive relationships, job responsibilities, and healthy hobbies. Therefore, it is important to understand the causes of gaming addiction and how to treat it to overcome this compulsion.