BETTING NIGERIA Islamic police raid betting shops in northern Nigeria 4 months ago Samuel Post Views: 290 Islamic police in Nigeria’s northern city of Kano have started closing down sports betting shops, which they say are operating illegally. “As you know betting is forbidden in Islam,” Mujahid Aminudeen, deputy chief of the Sharia police force, known as the Hisbah, told the BBC. The crackdown was prompted by complaints from community leaders and parents, worried about the growing number of gambling addicts, he said. On the first day of raids, 30 shops were closed in one suburb alone and their owners sent home with a warning, the Sharia officer said. But Mr Aminudeen warned that now that the public was aware that the Hisbah was clamping down on gambling, those flouting the rules would be arrested. Kano city is the capital of Kano state, which has a majority Muslim population and operates the Islamic legal system – Sharia – alongside secular law. Bookmakers and bars tend to be allowed to operate in Kano’s Christian neighbourhoods, though they too can face action if the Hisbah thinks Muslims are frequenting them. However, the current crackdown is focused on Muslim areas of Kano, a sprawling city and the economic hub of northern Nigeria. Sports betting shops can be found all over the city – most have televisions screens with customers watching the outcome of international football matches or horse races on which they have staked money. Mr Aminudeen said such bookmakers had been able to operate under the radar as they had opened under false pretences. “They don’t have licences to operate as they were given permission to run video games centres, which they later converted to betting shops,” he said. The sports betting industry has expanded dramatically in recent years across the West African nation, which is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and a largely Christian south. Many people go to bookmakers – to enjoy the camaraderie of other gamblers – though mobile apps are also popular to wager on the outcome of events and teams. Nigeria’s crippling economic crisis has also meant people are willing to risk a small amount in the hope of winning big. But this had led to widespread addiction and parents were even complaining that children were dropping out of school to gamble. “These economic issues we are facing in Nigeria is God telling us to change our ways by stopping sins,” – he said. The raids on Tuesday had focused on Munjibir, considered a resort area in the north-east of the city – with visitors flocking there at weekends. “I am advising those running those betting shops to either shut down or we’ll arrest them and take them to [a Sharia] court,” Mr Aminudeen said. It is not clear what punishment they would face – often such infringements carry a fine. Sharia was introduced in Kano in 2000 – as it was in 11 other Muslim-majority northern states – and prostitution, gambling and the consumption of alcohol were banned. Source: bbc.com About Post Author Samuel I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos. See author's posts SamuelI am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Tags: bookmakers, illegal betting, islam, Nigeria Continue Reading Previous The impact of sports betting on Ghana’s business landscapeNext Where to Find Legal Casinos in Nigeria More Stories EXPERTS NIGERIA Lagos Government Reaffirms Zero-Tolerance For Underage Gambling 22 hours ago Szarlot BETTING NIGERIA Popular disciplines to predict sports betting in Africa 2 days ago Samuel BETTING KENYA 64 Teams Ready to Kick off the Mozzart Bet Cup 2025 Season 2 days ago Samuel BETTING ETHIOPIA Betting Banned in Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s Gambling Industry 2 days ago Samuel NIGERIA ONLINE How social casinos are changing the way people play online 4 days ago Samuel EXPERTS HOT NEWS NIGERIA Why African Millennials Prefer Mobile Devices for Online Casino Gaming 4 days ago Szarlot BETTING ETHIOPIA What Ethiopian Bettors Love to Bet On 7 days ago Samuel BETTING NIGERIA Teni Celebrates $50,000 Win 1 week ago Samuel BETTING ZAMBIA What sets the online betting market in Zambia apart 1 week ago Samuel BETTING UGANDA Jinja teacher wins big in fixed games betting 1 week ago Samuel BETTING KENYA Kakamega Homeboyz renew sponsorship deal with betting firm 1 week ago Szarlot BETTING WORLD NEWS European watchdog takes aim at online gambling, gaming among youths 2 weeks ago Szarlot 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.