In addition to the many other problems faced by the continent’s inhabitants, such as unemployment, poverty, and lack of quality medicine, a new one has emerged in Africa: mass gambling addiction.
As recent studies show, the governments of many African countries are now moving rapidly to legalize gambling without thinking about the possible risks for their citizens.
Researchers from Glasgow, Ghana, and Bath Universities have analyzed politicians in 49 countries and found that of the 41 countries where gambling is now legal, only 2 have published annual reports on its impact on people’s health and finances.
This lack of transparency and the fact that the government doesn’t understand the importance of responsible gambling shows a poor understanding of the problem: politicians don’t care about the mental health of their citizens; they only care about giving them access to online casinos and sports betting in order to receive huge sums in taxes from the operators every year.
It is also important to understand that in most countries, regulation is either outdated or not implemented at all. Because of this, gambling providers feel much more relaxed and can act with impunity. A large number of cheaters enter the market, which makes the already low chances of winning critically low.
In addition, many online casinos in other countries accept players from Africa. For example, according to https://topcadcasinos.net/, almost all Canadian casinos allow residents of Malawi to register.
Despite all the above facts, gambling and sports betting are actively promoted all over Africa on billboards, radio, and television. Just think: up to 10% of teenagers in Ethiopia regularly gamble, and in Uganda, 90% have tried betting or playing in casinos at least once.
Thus, the study shows how serious the problem of gambling and gambling addiction has become in virtually all of Africa. Given the way the governments of most of the countries on the continent treat the problem now, it is hard to believe that anything can change dramatically in the near future.
And the residents themselves, who have problems with online casino addiction, are unlikely to be much concerned. They will continue to spend most of their income on bets, hoping that very soon they will win a huge sum and change their lives forever.
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