Report: Youth sink deep into gambling

More men than women are into gambling, with the youth being the most affected, a new survey has revealed.

The poll by Infotrak shows that of the respondents who confessed to taking up the habit, 74 per cent were men and 26 per cent women.

It also showed that a majority of the gamblers — 70 per cent —are youth aged between 18 and 35 years.

The poll goes on to say that gambling is most popular with Rift Valley residents.

Some 1,048 persons, representing the country’s 19.4 million adult population, were polled. 

Rift Valley accounted for 30 per cent of active gamblers, followed by Nairobi at 19 per cent and Central 12 per cent.

Nyanza, Coast and North Eastern are the regions with fewer people involved in gaming at nine, five and three per cent respectively. 

The survey shows 40 per cent of Kenyans who gamble do so every day. However, more women — 25 per cent — will bet several times in a day compared to men at 20 per cent.

Only 16 per cent of gamblers bet twice a day, 13 per cent do so thrice a week while 10 per cent bet weekly.

Some 7.0 per cent of gamblers bet only when there is a major sports event while 2.0 per cent try their luck only when they can access money to bet.

In this case, some –as represented by 5.0 per cent –would borrow money to place a bet. However, 11 per cent confirmed that they would invest their winnings from gambling back to the betting business.

The survey noted that seven out of 10 Kenyans who bet and lose will still go ahead and place another bet.

Most disturbing is that 17 per cent of Kenyans who lose bets would consider suicide as a way out.

“I think this is just the highlight of the problem that manifests in our society through things like financial pressure which points to mental health.  It is an indication that we might just have a pandemic,” said Infotrak’s Special Projects and Loyalty Research Manager Walter Nyakundi.

Nyakundi said the issue on suicide, as shocking as it is, should be enough evidence on how life stresses can trigger self-harm.

According to the survey, 8.0 per cent of those who lose bets turn into alcohol and drugs while 6.0 per cent borrow to cushion themselves from the cash they have lost.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i in April, during a meeting with directors of betting firms said there will be unprecedented changes into the sector as a new policy came into place which saw deportation of 17 foreign directors of betting firms.

This was followed by the Ministry’s reluctance to renew licenses for some betting firms starting this July, that has made the affected close some of their shops.

Matiang’i said his ministry is aware of the disturbing statistics that 76 per cent of the young population is involved in at least one form of betting.

“Some of you here are parents, what are we raising our children to be? Should they just sit and do nothing but place a bet and one-day wake up a millionaire?” posed Matiang’i. “We have about 500,000 of our youth blacklisted by some lending agencies because they borrowed to place bets and cannot pay because they lost.”

The CS said 54 per cent of Kenyans involved in betting are from the low income brackets, indicating that majority of those who bet continue to wallow in poverty hoping they will land a jackpot someday.

“The betting licensing and control regime in our country must change. We have to turn it inside out.  We must change it,” he said.

Electronic or online sports betting platforms are the ones mostly used at 87 per cent followed by betting kiosks at 7.0 per cent.

Other forms of betting are lotteries or sweepstakes (4.0 per cent), group bets (1.0) and casinos (1.0).

Majority of individuals who have tried to quit betting are youth according to the survey: 56 per cent of youths aged between 18 and 24 said they have tried to quit as well as 68 per cent of those aged 25 to 29.