A new policy analysis has warned that the rapid expansion of gambling in low-income communities across Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone could worsen economic hardship, indebtedness, youth unrest and certain forms of crime.
The analysis, conducted by Joshua Biem, Senior Policy and Research Analyst at Nextier, and Olive Aniunoh, Legal, Policy and Research Consultant at Nextier, examined the growing presence of betting outlets in vulnerable communities across West Africa.
According to the report, betting shops have become increasingly common in slums, motor parks and informal settlements, particularly in urban areas where young people face limited employment opportunities and weak social support systems. The authors argued that gambling operators often target or concentrate in communities where residents are economically vulnerable and more likely to view betting as a potential source of income.
Nigeria’s gambling industry, the report noted, is among the largest on the continent. Industry estimates cited by the authors put the country’s overall betting revenue at as much as $3.63 billion in 2025, while more than 60 million Nigerians, predominantly between 18 and 40 years old, are reportedly regular bettors.
The expansion has occurred against the backdrop of a worsening youth unemployment crisis, raising concerns about the relationship between economic exclusion and gambling behaviour.
The authors argued that gambling often functions less as a route out of poverty than as a response to it. They warned that repeated betting losses could deepen indebtedness and potentially push some young people towards informal criminal activities as they seek alternative ways of raising money.
The report, however, cautioned against portraying betting outlets as the sole cause of criminality. Instead, it argued that betting shops tend to flourish in communities where unemployment, poverty and economic desperation are already widespread.
To address the situation, the authors called for greater coordination of gambling regulations across West Africa. They recommended stronger age and identity verification requirements, as well as restrictions on the location and concentration of betting outlets in particularly vulnerable communities. They also urged authorities to adopt intelligence-led monitoring of betting clusters where gambling-related debt may be associated with theft, fraud, cultism or other forms of criminal activity.
Beyond regulation, the report recommended targeted livelihood programmes, vocational training and financial literacy initiatives for residents of slums and peri-urban communities. According to the authors, such interventions would address some of the economic desperation that gambling operators are increasingly able to monetise.
The report also placed responsibility on gambling companies to strengthen responsible-gambling practices. It recommended measures including self-exclusion systems, spending limits and advertising regulations designed to prevent the aggressive targeting of economically vulnerable young people.
The authors maintained that betting fuels poverty when individuals begin to depend on gambling as an alternative to sustainable employment and income. They warned that without stronger intervention, the continued expansion of an under-regulated betting economy could deepen existing economic and social pressures.
The report concluded that governments must address the underlying challenges of unemployment, debt, weak social protection and urban marginalisation if they are to reduce the risks associated with gambling. It stressed that tackling those structural problems would be more effective than simply treating betting as an isolated cause of crime or youth unrest across West Africa.
