Government, consider good side of betting

The Story titled ‘Govt set to ban sports betting’ in the Daily Monitor of Monday came as a big surprise. This is so considering that there are more pressing needs in the country that call for urgent attention, including reducing the crime rate and allowing freedom of speech.

Before the President’s directive to ban sports betting is implemented, let the government be informed of the positive side of this type of gambling.

Apart from paying huge taxes, is the government aware that sports betting firms are employing a big number of Ugandans, especially women, who would otherwise be jobless and, therefore, have no source of earning?

Possibly, the government may also not be aware that sports betting has helped to reduce the crime rate in urban areas given that a big number of unemployed youth earn some money from betting instead of engaging in crime activities.

In addition, the government may not be aware that sports betting takes the attention of many youth who would otherwise have joined politics, an engagement which is not quite productive.

Comparatively, sports betting has not diverted the attention of the youth from hard work as much as alcohol and drugs have done. In fact, in my view, alcohol has done more damage to the youth. So should we now expect the government to ban alcohol all together?

Lastly should the government go ahead and implement the ban on sports betting, then so be it. But in the interest of equal treatment of all citizens, let all forms of gambling (for the poor) as well as casinos (for the rich) in the country be banned.

Both the rich and the poor should be treated equally. Casinos also divert the attention of the rich from working even harder.

I am also appealing to the government not to be tempted to propose banning of the viewing of European football in Uganda under the guise that matches are also diverting the attention of many of our youth from hard work.