Gambling or Betting : Enough Grounds for A Ban?

Source

Addiction is one thing that has ruined a lot of lives and families. Addiction in whatever form is bad and people who are addicted to either drugs, pornography, alcohol or gambling should do their best to put a stop to it.

When we talk about addictions that have ruined lives, gambling is probably on top of that list and I am certain a lot of us here have heard stories of how people have gambles away their savings or salaries.

There is no denying that gambling can make you rich overnight but there is also no denying that gambling can do more harm than good. Sports betting or any other form of serious betting in my opinion should be regulated. The problem comes with how the regulation will be done.

If we say we should make gambling of a certain age limit, it would not make too much of a difference because it is even the older ones we see gambling away their monies the most. It is quite disheartening to read and hear that an individual over 50 has gambled away everything. I once read that a man gambled away his home. The sad thing was that he had a wife and kids and you just stop to ask yourself where his wife and kid will be now that their shelter has been gambled away.

Those who gamble realistically will be against any form of ban imposed on betting or gambling which is totally understandable when you look at the positives. Why would they want to give up something that has the possibility of making them millions with minimum hustle. I call it minimum hustle but they will not agree with me because to them it is a big deal.

I have friends involved in sports betting and whenever you try to play down that hustle, they are always quick to add that it not as easy as it looks. Some of these friends I have never even for once heard them say they won a bet and for those that win, they do not make big winnings.

I remember vividly how enraged the Ghanaian youth were when the just voted out government imposed a betting tax or betting levy. They imposed this to allow them remove some money from every win a Ghanaian makes from a victorious bet. The youth were enraged and are still enraged. In fact, I do not think I will be wrong to say it was one of the major contributing factors to their removal from power.

Because of the nature of how serious the betting tax was, the new government made it one of their key campaigning message to remove betting tax if they were voted into power. We are yet to see if that will actually be done or it was just a campaigning tactic to gain favor.

In the nut shell, I see the benefits in imposing a betting ban but I also appreciate that it will not be welcomed with open arms. It may and will most likely to severely demonstrated against. What can be done about it is to continue the ongoing educational campaigns on betting and its potential risks on individuals and families.

Maybe, just maybe that will help the addicted gamblers have a change of heart and start to gamble a bit responsibly.

---

images used have been sourced.

---