Kenyan committing suicide because of bet losses
When sports betting increased in popularity within the Kenyan space fueled by rise in internet access, so many embraced it. To sports fans and the general population,betting popularity ushered in an era where fans too would benefit from staking on their most preferred teams. But not long into betting, we now have to deal with Kenyans committing suicide as a response to frustrating bet losses.
Sometimes thinking about the gambling situation in Kenya really eats up the mind. At some point, you’d stop to believe that Kenyans remain deeply stupefied by it. You ´ ll be surprised to imagine someone in the right senses can go ahead and stake hundreds of thousands into a sports bet. Some end up pouring out all they have in betting, forgetting the age old realty that gamblers only need to stake what theyŕe ready to lose.
Reckless Gambling killing a lot of Kenyans
To be honest, we´ve been battered by the tough economy which leaves so many with little options at earning a living. With needs pressing us hard, gambling becomes a go to option for many who also expect to use it as a path to overnight riches.
When someone says that gambling may result in death, you may at first think that it is a joke. However, the truth is that gambling has resulted in several deaths. The people who gamble recklessly are the ones who in most cases become depressed and die with suicide.
Reported betting related deaths in Kenya
In 2020, Tuko news reported Richard’s death. He died shortly after losing a bet of ksh. 15 million in a Nairobi’s casino. On further investigation, some kind of unknown drug was found in the corpse’s body. Was he not into drugs or something? Before we go far, you can now agree with the initial statement. That Kenyans are under spell for betting. Or how will you term this kind of game that claims up to 500 lives annually?
In the past, a huge number of students have also gambled off their school fees. At such a time when they lose, suicide is all they think. Not once or twice has Kenya recorded such deaths that touch on young and promising youths. Like the case with anonymous Kenyatta University student who lost Ksh. 80,000 in Germany-Italy football bet.
Moreover, the Kenyatta University student left a note explaining the cause of his death, which was of course. Now the question is why bet with an amount you are not ready to lose? For your information, that is what we call reckless gambling.
There are so many of such-like incidences where people borrow money for investment. Instead of starting up something, they bet on it. Just like that, the money goes down the drain. What follows is either divorce or rejection from family members. If depression won’t kill such a person, drug abuse will, because they seek solace there.
Common Traits of Irresponsible Gamblers
If you are a punter but can’t tell your state of betting. Watch out for the signs below. If they describe you then know you are treading on the wrong grounds,
Willing to gamble with more than you can afford
As a responsible gambler, you should only gamble with an amount you are willing to lose. You know the moment you can go as far as borrowing just to bet then it means there’s something wrong somewhere. For crying aloud, this is a 50/50 possibility. To bet responsibly, designate a budget for that on a monthly basis with your salary. Also, you should not let it touch on other expenses like food, rent, fees et cetera.
Giving dumb ears to warnings against your gambling behaviors
No one has your interest at heart better than family, spouse or true friends. Once you’ve heard them complain about you spending a lot of money and time betting, keep off. It’s not like they don’t understand your hobby or something. They mean you well and can always see better from the outside.
Unable to control gambling impulse
If you are the kind of gambler who cannot say no to gambling impulse, think twice. How can it be that you ever chase losses even after losing much along the way? Isn’t that a red flag? The more you bet in a wish to recover what has been lost the more you’ll dry up your wallet. Eventually, you’ll get broke and problems will start streaming in and calling all its relatives too.
Risk of irresponsible gambling in Kenya?
Any or rather every punter is at risk of gambling addiction. Nevertheless, people from the low economic class in Kenya have shown a tremendous rise in it. People from financially struggling backgrounds bet more in the hope of winning mega, to bid poverty goodbye. Anyway, who would want to be poor forever?
As things stand with hefty price tags in the Kenyan market, the poor bet their brains out. Just the other day, Kenya experienced a three-four week period of demos. The aim of this was to address the current economic hard times. So, people who cannot afford well-paying jobs turn to betting as the only livelihood to bank on.
Apart from the bad economy, corruption has taken a toll to ruin the middle and low class families. In Kenya today, even if you merit a job but know ‘no one’ or ‘have nothing’. You are automatically disqualified. The consolation is, betting won’t do that.
Tips to evade reckless betting in Kenya
We can’t deny that Kenya harbors many serial bettors. Knowing that, it’s prudent to save the few who can be saved to reduce the number of deaths linked to it. To bet responsibly, start by viewing betting as a pastime or fun activity rather than a source of income. If you do it this way, you won’t spend a lot of time focusing on it.
Another thing is people should set an advance budget to bet with and within a specific time limit. In doing so, you’ll balance expenditures on your bills. Besides, none of your other activities will be left unattended. Here is a polite reminder, if you feel betting is getting much into you take as many breaks as possible.
You don’t want gambling addiction, right? Good. Besides, if you cannot set a budget then pay your bills and buy groceries then you can use the rest of the money to bet. However, do not forget to save some money.
In addition, to enjoy betting, avoid chasing your losses. It’s part of the game to lose and you should never feel guilty about that. Then another common mistake people make is betting while stressed. Please, betting is not some stress remover. Do it with a sober mind, zero anger, and zero alcohol/toxic drugs.
