By Adeshina Adeola
Sporty Bet is a popular online gambling game that has become a global epidemic in most African countries because the allure of winning big is undeniable, and those who are fortunate to win often end up losing their winnings in subsequent bets. They find it difficult to break the cycle of Addiction. However, this form of gambling has its turmoil and emotional wreck that it pushes to those involved, who keep battling with mental health, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression.
The consequences of sporty bets are far-reaching and devastating, which entice individuals from financial ruin to broken families. It leads individuals to owe massive amounts of debt, exhausting their savings, selling off their possessions, and even borrowing money from loan sharks to feed their addiction. It also has a toll of devastating impact on individuals and their families, leaving them destitute, and without a way to recover their plight.
Punch Newspaper reported that "many Nigerians resort to sports betting and other forms of betting to improve their financial status, the addiction that results from gambling further plunges them into the depth of devastation, loss, and poverty."
Notwithstanding, Sporty Bet has serious social and health consequences that the addicts experience social isolation, as they always become so consumed by the game to the extent of neglecting their friends and family, which can lead to loneliness, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. It can harm physical health as a lot of people spend tons of hours gambling, and they often neglect their exercise and sleep routines, leading to weight gain, poor nutrition, and fatigue.
Insofar, the consequences of sporty bets are far-reaching and can be extremely damaging to Human Mental Health. The psychological mechanisms used to design the game are one of the key drivers that influence an individual to become addicted to it. For example, the game is designed to create a "near-miss" experience, where players feel like they are close to winning but ultimately lose. This encourages people to keep playing, hoping that eventually they may win big, and the game uses random rewards, which allows the players never to know when they will win or lose. This creates a sense of uncertainty that can be addictive.
Nevertheless, to curb this menace, it is essential to recognize that sporty bet addiction is a real devil of human mental health, which is a severe problem, and there should be more awareness campaigns to educate people about the dangers it harbors and the signs of addiction.
In that same report by Punch Newspaper, an addiction counsellor, Mr David Folaranmi, stated, “Gambling addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease that is characterised by the compulsive need to engage in gambling behaviour which is making a stake with the hope of getting a higher reward. The best way to help any addict or anyone struggling with any form of addiction like sports betting is to renew the mind and the best way to do that is through CBT and Motivational Interviewing by a licensed professional."
