BETTING GHANA Hooked: Sports betting addiction in Ghana youth 1 year ago Szarlot Post Views: 580 Despite Ghana being largely a religious country, and the fact that religious people are known to abhor betting, betting shops have sprung up in sprawling communities around the country. Some can be found in corners, around busy markets and lorry parks, wherever people can be found – betting shops can be seen. With a betting slip in his hands, Joel, a 32-year-old man wearing a white shirt and a pair of black shorts, cautiously gives an analogy: “Just like someone who is smoking. I am not saying am addicted, but betting has become part of me. I’m finding a way to stop it because it can’t help me.” Like Joel, there are many young Ghanaians, mostly men, there are some women too, who are gradually succumbing to the lure of sports betting with the hope that one day, they would win big. The sports betting companies slid into the country quietly more than 10 years ago but are now taking front seats – with large advertising billboards decorating streets across Ghana. They have become loud with radio and TV commercials and push hard with all forms of marketing strategies including big budget sponsorships, and they are getting Ghanaian youth hooked. Most of them facing unemployment, poverty and hopelessness are finding solace in sports betting. According to the World Bank’s 6th Ghana Economic Update titled “Preserving the future: rising to the youth employment challenge,” released in July 2022, Ghana’s youth has grown rapidly and now represents 36 per cent of the population. The economy’s strong growth performance of the past 30 years has however not delivered enough jobs for them, it adds The National Population Census in 2021 found that approximately three-quarters of unemployed adults were ‘young’. The report notes further that while governments have created multiple policies and programmes to address youth unemployment over the years, the many programmes aimed at helping the youth have often fallen short of the massive needs. While investigating the phenomena of sports betting in Ghana, I found that some of the young people hooked to betting are traders, but most are unemployed, while others have poorly paid jobs. Joel is a school drop-out from Nigeria. He migrated to Ghana and settled in the Eastern Regional capital of Koforidua. In the betting shop where I met him in the suburb of Adweso, about 12 young men hunched over computer terminals. Like everyone else, they hoped to make fortunes from their wins. They all have recorded more losses than wins, and yet they keep betting, hoping for their lucky day. Like Joel, there are many young Ghanaians, mostly men, there are some women too, who are gradually succumbing to the lure of sports betting with the hope that one day, they would win big. Source: ghanabusinessnews.com About Post Author Szarlot I am a fan of casino games especially roulette and blackjack. After that I analyze current events in the gambling industry. See author's posts SzarlotI am a fan of casino games especially roulette and blackjack. After that I analyze current events in the gambling industry. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Tags: Ghana, sports betting, young Continue Reading Previous Operator bet365 launches in GhanaNext 10Bet Continues Expansion in Africa More Stories BETTING KENYA Man Reportedly Takes His Own Life Following Loss to Aviator Gambling 2 hours ago Samuel BETTING NIGERIA BetWinner Director Calls for Clearer Gaming Taxation Laws 2 hours ago Samuel BETTING UGANDA Game2Bet: What are they all about? 2 hours ago Szarlot BETTING UGANDA 1000 Ugandan students drop out annually due to sports betting 2 days ago Szarlot BETTING NIGERIA Three more ambassadors join King Kanu at Sportsbet.io 2 days ago Szarlot BETTING HOT NEWS UGANDA Dear retiree, to pay university fees is to bet on sports 4 days ago Samuel BETTING NIGERIA How Nigerian Sport Promotes Responsible Gambling 4 days ago Szarlot BETTING NIGERIA Charting Nigeria’s online gambling growth amid regulatory battles 4 days ago Samuel BETTING ZAMBIA Formula 1 drives sports betting for African players. 1 week ago Szarlot BETTING SOUTH AFRICA Golden Matrix completes acquisition of MeridanBet Group 1 week ago Iwo Bulski BETTING SOUTH AFRICA South African Gambling Regulation: A Closer Look 1 week ago Samuel BETTING SOUTH AFRICA Hacksaw Gaming enters South African market with Supabets 1 week ago Samuel Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.