Lagos builds psychiatric hospital to tackle gambling, others
Health
As part of response to the rising mental health toll of gambling addiction and related behavioral disorders, the government of Lagos State is building a 500-bed psychiatric hospital with a 1,000-bed rehabilitation wing.
It is the largest of its kind in West Africa.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi stated this at the Gamble Alert’s Responsible Gaming symposium in Lagos.
Represented by the Head of Special Projects and Mental Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Abayomi said: “This is a strategic investment directed by Mr. Governor to strengthen our mental healthcare system and address gambling as a growing public health concern.”
The announcement marks Lagos’ boldest policy shift yet in confronting the health risks of Nigeria’s fast-expanding gaming industry, especially for vulnerable youth and low-income earners.
Recognising gambling as a legal, revenue-generating activity, Prof. Abayomi warned it comes with hidden costs, addiction, depression, and social instability.
He praised Gamble Alert’s advocacy and emphasized the need for industry-wide harm-reduction strategies, including stricter regulation of online platforms.
“Operators must provide self-exclusion tools, but right now these are optional for users,” he added. “We’re working to standardize these safeguards and enforce them through robust regulatory frameworks.”
The commissioner also announced plans to develop a centralised national database to track gambling-related mental health cases, data that is currently fragmented across hospitals, regulators, and gaming providers.
To reach underserved communities, Lagos is ramping up grassroots sensitisation through roadshows, flyers, local radio, and outreach campaigns, particularly in informal urban areas where gambling thrives unchecked.
“We’re committed to working with NGOs, regulators, and community groups to make responsible gaming the norm,” Prof Abayomi said.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gamble Alert, Mr Fisayo Oke, said the event aimed to spark meaningful dialogue and drive policy reforms.
“Responsible gaming is not optional, it’s a business imperative. Protecting consumers ensures long-term sustainability for the industry.” He said.
Oke stressed that while eliminating gambling-related harm entirely may be unrealistic, coordinated efforts can significantly reduce its impact.
He urged regulators and operators to adopt preventive tools, enforce safeguards, and invest in consumer protection.
Oke also highlighted the dual responsibility of both the industry and the public. “Players must understand how to gamble responsibly, while operators must build safer platforms,” she said.
With Nigeria’s gaming sector booming, Oke called for urgent, deliberate policy shifts to mitigate risks, particularly among young and vulnerable populations.
“The conversation must lead to action,” he said. “Everyone, government, industry, and civil society, has a role to play.”
Director General of the Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board, Olajide Boladuro, warned Nigerian youths against seeing gambling as a shortcut to success, stressing its link to addiction, debt, and mental health crises.
“Gambling is not a path to prosperity,” he said during a responsible gaming advocacy event. “Our youths should focus on productive ventures, not betting kiosks.”
Boladuro highlighted Oyo’s regulatory reforms since 2023, including stricter licensing, accountability for operators, and enforcement modeled after international standards.
He cited the UK’s £5 million fine on a betting firm for underage gambling as a benchmark Oyo aims to emulate.
To broaden awareness, the board has expanded outreach into rural areas like Fopa and Igbo Elerin through roadshows, radio campaigns, and community education, backed by resources from Governor Seyi Makinde.
Warning about the severe mental toll of gambling, Boladuro said early intervention is crucial. “Depression, anxiety, even suicide, these are real outcomes,” he noted, urging youths to treat gambling as leisure, not income.
He called for more collaboration between government, civil society, and gaming operators to push financial literacy, mental health awareness, and industry compliance. “Gambling is not a job,” he said. “It’s just a game, and it should stay that way.”
The symposium convened health experts, regulators, gaming operators, and advocates to chart a new path for safer gambling practices in Nigeria.
