By Iyabo Adebisi
The Secretary to the Oyo State Government (SSG), Professor Olanike Adeyemo says the government will continue to regulate gaming activities in the state to ensure a responsible gaming environment.
She stated said this in Ibadan at the 5th annual stakeholders’ interactive forum organized by the Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board.
The forum tagged ‘Tax and Task: Building a Sustainable Gaming Environment is to acquaint gaming operators, sister agencies of the government, the gaming public and all other relevant stakeholders with the new framework of the board.
The SSG said regulating gaming activities would minimize the negative environmental and social impacts but maximize the positive impacts.
Professor Adeyemo said despite an increased revenue generation means to the state, the present administration would ensure the public is well guided against risks inherent in gaming activities for healthy socio-economic development.
Professor Adeyemo urged all the relevant stakeholders in the gaming and lottery industry to abide by the regulations guiding their operations in the state.
In his address, the Director-General, of Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board, Mr Olajide Boladuro said the agency was committed towards a responsible gaming environment in the state.
Mr Boladuro said the agency as regulator and licensee of operators in the gaming industry has the responsibility to ensure that things are going the way it is supposed to go in the industry.
The DG explained that gaming companies have a responsibility to prioritize ethical content and not to promote activities that might lead to moral decadence.
He added that the agency would not relent to keep on sensitizing the general public and people that gamble, that gambling “is actually addictive.
“We have actively discouraged the under-aged going to gaming houses, through sensitization and awareness campaigns in schools and communities.
“We always say emphatically, that gambling is not something that can make someone a millionaire or a financial breakthrough for someone.
“We will continue to prevail on gaming companies to avoid exploitative practices that encourage excessive spending or gambling behaviours, that is eliminating tactics that can lead to addiction or financial strain,” he said.
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