Plans are also underway for a national database to track gambling-related mental health cases, currently scattered across hospitals and regulatory bodies.
LAGOS — In response to the growing toll of gambling addiction, the Lagos State Government has announced the construction of a 500-bed psychiatric hospital with a 1,000-bed rehabilitation wing, the largest such facility in West Africa.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed the initiative during Gamble Alert’s Responsible Gaming symposium. Represented by Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Abayomi described the project as “a strategic investment to strengthen our mental healthcare system and address gambling as a growing public health concern.”
He warned that while gambling is legal and profitable, it comes with hidden costs—addiction, depression, and social instability—particularly among youths and low-income communities.
Plans are also underway for a national database to track gambling-related mental health cases, currently scattered across hospitals and regulatory bodies. Lagos will also intensify grassroots awareness campaigns in urban informal settlements.
Gamble Alert CEO Fisayo Oke urged operators to adopt consumer protection tools and for regulators to enforce safer gaming environments. “Responsible gaming is not optional. It’s a business imperative,” Oke said.
In support, Oyo State’s gaming regulator, Olajide Boladuro, stressed gambling is not a shortcut to wealth. “It’s just a game, and it should stay that way,” he said.
The symposium united stakeholders seeking safer gambling practices nationwide.