Some residents of Gombe state have urged the state government to regulate or ban football betting because of its impact and menace to youths in the state.
They expressed concerns over the increasing cases of football betting and its menace amongst youths plus its negative impact it would have on the entire state.
They reeled their concerns in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.
Mr John Ezenwa, a resident of Yelenguruza community, said the large number of youths in his community who had taken to betting of all sorts should be a concern to all stakeholders in the state and country.
Ezenwa said more and more youths were joining the trend and wasting money and time that should have been used to develop themselves or invest in good ventures.
“You need to see how they go about looking for money for betting, especially when the English premiership is on.
“They can go to any length to get money for betting, that is what really frightens me and should be a source of concern,” he said.
Usman Ahmad, a resident of Madaki community, said the trend needed serious regulation to prevent its full-scale consequences on the society going forward.
Ahmad said “can you imagine the young ones borrowing money just to play betting; this means when they don’t get money they can steal to play betting.”
He said that the addiction that comes with betting had become a cause for concern and “I think government needs to come in with some sort of regulations.”
Sharing his experience, Mr Adetipe Joseph, a school proprietor from Nasarawo community, said the desperation with which the youths engage in betting had made them to always look for money.
Joseph said a young man with all the energy who is always looking for money was one that could do anything for the money.
“I employed a young graduate who was very intelligent and good at his teaching job, but I noticed that he is always asking me for salary advance before salaries are due at the end of the month.
“Pupils in his class paid him money for a textbook and he used the money to bet, imagine that.”
Joseph said he had to relieve him of his job after policemen came to his school to arrest the young man.
He called for serious actions to be taken by the government to save the society from the impending consequences of betting. (NAN)
