Gambling is ravaging the youth, luckily, we can save ourselves
A man watches football as he places a bet.
Betting mania has taken Kenyan youth by storm, with the jobless, college and university students being the most affected.
According to a recent GeoPoll survey, more than 76 per cent of Kenyan youth aged between 17 and 35 have engaged in at least one form of gambling.
On campus, I have witnessed this, with many students spending crazy amounts of time, energy and money dreaming of hitting the jackpot. The bitter roots of betting have spread out, netting all and sundry and I have to declare here that I have not been spared.
I began betting just after finishing my high school studies under the pretence that I was just doing it for fun. I didn’t realise betting was like abusing drugs, with those involved thinking they can quit anytime. It’s a lie. Once you start placing, winning and losing bets, it becomes an addiction that has to be fed every day. My roommate, too, has been stung by this curse. Here is his story.
Six figures
“My case is similar to that of an alcoholic who has been in and out of rehab with no success. I am trapped in the vicious cycle, full of hope that I will wake up the next day and my bank account will have six figures.
“At times, I think I am living in a make-believe world. I never have enough money due to gambling away my pocket money. I have tried quitting but the alluring midweek and mega jackpots all over the media bait me.
“What worries me is that the more I lose, the more I want to place even more bets, believing it was just not my lucky night.”
Gamblers face other issues, including anxiety and lack of sleep. Research also has it that gambling problems are nine times more likely to lead to suicide.
The silver lining is that this addiction is a sickness that can only be cured by oneself. According to my research, here are a few ways to overcome it: rekindle a hobby, plan ahead to avoid boredom and always remind yourself that to gamble is to lose. You should also identify self-sabotaging triggers and join a support group, such as the Gaming Awareness Society of Kenya.
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