Bauchi set to ban Nairabet, Naijabet, others as lawmakers pass anti-gaming bill

The lawmakers in Bauchi State House of Assembly have passed a bill to ban NaijaBet and BetNaija from operating in the state.

The bill also bans all other forms of gambling, ownership and operations of gaming machines.

A member of the assembly representing Lere/Bula constituency, Aminu Tukur, who addressed newsmen after the House sitting in Bauchi on Thursday, said, “The bill seeks to ban all forms of gambling and its operations in the state.”

He said the bill, which was co-sponsored by 10 other members, should be cited as Gambling and Gaming Machines Prohibition Law of the state.

According to him, those who sponsored the bill were the Speaker of the House, Kawuwa Damina (Darazo), Maryam Bagel (Dass), Salisu Ajilanga (Gamawa), Ibrahim Hassan (Duguri), Yusuf Dadiye, Yusuf Nuhu (Ganjuwa), Idris Idris (Dambam), Abdullahi Abdulkadir (Bura), Garba Musa (Sakwa) and Markus Makama (Bogoro).

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“The bill passed the first, second and third readings instantly on the floor of the house because the honourable members of the house looked at its importance.

“The bill will ensure that gambling is not only banned but will also sanitise the morality of our youth and children”, he said.

He said supporting and encouraging the business is a waste of fund and encouragement of immorality, especially as the two major religions in the country do not support it.

Speaking on the law, he said, “The law provides that any gaming machine, be it electronic or otherwise, found in a place after three months of the commencement of the law shall be forfeited to the state government.”

When contacted to comment if the outgoing governor, Mohammed Abubakar, would sign the bill into law, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Ali M. Ali, said, “I am not in the position to speak on that yet. I am not with the governor now, but I will speak with him tomorrow and will get back to you.”

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