“It’s Clean-Up Time: Gaming Industry Faces Call for Collective Action on Addiction”
‘’Its clean up time’’- this is how the Conference Chairperson for Gamble Alert, Professor Peter Olapegba, chose to open the 5th edition of the Responsible Gaming Symposium which took place on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at the NECA Events Centre, Ikeja, Nigeria.
The theme for this year’s symposium was ‘Building a Sustainable Industry Through Responsible Gaming’ and without surprise, Olapegba charged the gaming operators to do their part in “cleaning up the unintended consequences of gambling by ensuring that treatment and therapeutic intervention are available for gambling addicts.”
The Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Professor Akinola Abayomi made it clear that the commission is playing an active role in addressing gambling addiction by giving as much attention to mental and social health, as it does to physical health, as these are important components. It was revealed that a significant percentage of “risky behaviour” which the commission has seen, can be attributed to poor mental, social, physical and environmental health. Abayomi recognizes this and in proffering solutions to the gambling addiction menace, he reworked the theme of the symposium: “sustainability of the gaming industry is dependent on the stability of its players.”
All eyes on the operators
While numerous stakeholders make up the gaming industry, panelists of this symposium applied the most pressure on the gaming operators, asking them to do more. The Regional Manager for PawaTech, Olabimpe Akingba, didn’t mince words when speaking on maintaining industry integrity: “If you’re an operator and you have yet to embed responsible gambling in your business, that must be your next course of action after this symposium.”
Akingba explained how BetPawa incorporates self help tools and partners with mental health organizations in addressing gambling addiction. BetKing tows a similar path, but appears to take things a step further by training its customer care representatives to spot problem gambling. The MD of BetKing, Gossy Ukanwoke, explains the importance of all hands being on deck when it comes to addressing this vice: “responsible gambling is the responsibility of everyone from the players to the operators, to the platform providers. We take this issue seriously at BetKing, it’s not a PR stunt.”
The Responsible Gaming Officer for Bet9ja, Kayode Kolawole, applauds BetKing and shares the unique approach which Bet9ja takes in addressing not only gambling addiction, but underage gambling: “if an individual opts for self exclusion online and chooses to go to the physical shops, we alert our agents to frustrate such attempts. For underage gambling, we ensure that age verification cannot be bypassed and if an underage person is allowed to stake, the agent that allowed it would be delisted”
A proactive approach & Central Database
When it comes to the importance of Responsible Gaming in Brand Reputation, The Group Head, Business Developers Winners Golden Group, Mrs Akinbiyi Adepeju says a reactionary approach won’t suffice: “responsible gambling is not a check box, it’s the core of all that we do.”
In terms of rating the progress of the gaming industry in addressing gambling addiction, the President, Casino Gaming Operators, Abayomi Oketope says “so far so good.” However, he thinks the crucial missing piece is a Central Database for everyone who chooses to self-exclude. Oketope also suggests that a hotline be set up to connect gamblers with the right people who can help.
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) appears to have answered the call for a proactive approach and taken the initiative to set up a Central Database. The CEO of LSLGA, Bashir Are was represented by the Board Secretary/ Legal Adviser of LSLGA, Adetoun Adeyemi and she confirmed that “LSLGA will be launching a platform called Operation Safe Keeping soon and this will be sent across to all betting operators under the LSLGA”– This will serve as a Central Database for problem gambling.
Operators’ appeal for patience and a call on the Federal Government
Gaming operators are doing their part through individual and collaborative measures to ensure that they tackle the menace of gambling addiction, but health care workers and some participants of the symposium showed little grace to the operators and wanted to know what they were doing to address the cost of treatment and therapy sessions of gambling addicts.
The Head of Legal, Bet9ja Adewale Akande, made it clear that Bet9ja not only channels funds of the “good cause levy in that direction, but pays for the treatment of such addicts.” The Managing Partner, WYS Solicitors & Legal Counsel Africa- Olafadeke Akeju appeals for patience- “please remember that this industry is relatively young and emerging. The gaming industry is still expanding to accommodate complimentary providers and this symposium is very specific in addressing responsible gambling. This means we are aware of it, we are working on it and we ask that you give us some time to make more significant progress”
Olapegba made a final call on the government to play a more active role in regulation , enforcement and setting limits when it comes to addressing problem gambling activities. He also preached for family involvement and community awareness when it comes to early detection, as this is the stage where treatment tends to be more effective and guarantees lasting results: “pay attention to a change in mood, anxiety disorders and increased crime rate. Also look out for when individuals start to prioritize gambling over daily responsibilities, as these tend to be the tell-tale signs of when an individual crosses from recreational gambling to problem gambling”
Conclusion
The 5th Responsible Gaming Symposium made it abundantly clear that addressing gambling addiction requires a multi-stakeholder approach where operators, regulators, healthcare providers, and communities must work in unison. While gaming operators like BetKing, and Bet9ja are implementing individual measures—from self-exclusion tools to agent training and treatment funding—the industry’s sustainability ultimately hinges on collective action. The LSLGA’s upcoming “Operation Safe Keeping” platform represents a crucial step toward the centralized database that industry leaders have been calling for, while the appeal for federal government involvement underscores the need for comprehensive regulation and enforcement. As Professor Olapegba emphasized, early detection through family and community awareness remains key to effective treatment, reinforcing that responsible gaming isn’t just a corporate checkbox but a shared responsibility that extends far beyond the gaming floor. The industry’s acknowledgment of its challenges, coupled with concrete steps toward solutions, suggests that Nigeria’s gaming sector is ready to mature from rapid expansion to sustainable, responsible growth.
Author: Cynthia Areh
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