Influencer Reno Omokri urges Tinubu to Ban Sports Betting Apps in Nigeria
Reno Omokri, a prominent social media influencer, has asked President Bola Tinubu to consider prohibiting sports betting apps in Nigeria. Omokri argues that this ban could potentially contribute to bolstering the value of the Naira currency. Ban
In a series of tweets shared on Wednesday, Omokri, citing the National Lottery Trust Fund, expressed his frustration over the fact that Nigerians are spending $1 billion on gambling every day. The media influencer conveyed his thoughts through his X profile.
“President Tinubu can immediately improve the economic conditions of most Nigerians and make the Naira grow by issuing an Executive Order authorising the Nigerian Communications Commission to ban sports betting apps from the App Store of any GSM Internet Service Provider in Nigeria and revoking the licenses of any physical sports betting operators in Nigeria. It makes better sense than Buhari’s draconian.” read part of his tweet. Reno Omokri Tinubu Ban Sports Betting
According to the ex-Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, the average Nigerian allocates approximately $15 per day towards sports betting and various forms of gambling.
Omokri pointed out that even though gambling is widespread in the country, the majority of the money spent on it is flowing out of the country to foreign nations, in contrast to the revenue generated from external sources.
“This is scary. How much is our GDP that we are pissing it away like that? More money is leaving Nigeria through gambling than is coming in,” he stated.
“The Naira can never sustain its rally under such circumstances.” he further lamented.
According to the National Lottery Trust Fund, Nigeria is currently facing a severe gambling epidemic which is having a devastating impact on its young population. They claim that an astonishing $1 billion is being spent on gambling every single day in the country. I urge you to verify this information for accuracy.
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“The average Nigerian spends $15 daily on sports betting and other types of gambling, with the vast majority of that amount leaving our economy and going to places like Russia, South Africa, and Europe. The Naira can never sustain its rally under such circumstances.”
According to PUNCH Online, numerous sports betting companies are active in Nigeria. Notable names in the industry include Bet9ja, Nairabet, Merry Bet, and SportyBet, among several others.
In his post, Omokri reiterated his call to Tinubu, urging him to take immediate action against the grave issue of the gambling epidemic that poses a threat to our national security. He criticized the unlawful methods used by certain Nigerian youths to obtain money “in order to support their gambling addiction.”
PUNCH Online further reports that, Zephaniah Jisalo, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, has stated that the Federal Government is determined to resolve the conflicts arising from revenue generation in the gaming industry.
Jisalo affirmed that the FG is committed to utilizing all its legal abilities to uphold the steady progress and advancement of the gaming industry. This happened during his speech at the 2023 International Gaming Conference held at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos State, on October 31, 2023,
On Monday, November 20, 2023, Bello Maigari, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance. Maigari informed the committee that in 2023, the Fund had generated N2.5 billion. However, he clarified that the entire amount had already been utilized for the implementation of different projects throughout the country. He stated that the money had been produced through statutory remittances obtained from license and permit holders.
Source: Punch NG Reno Omokri Tinubu Ban Sports Betting
