What happens when the need for thrill turns into an addiction? To put it mildly, Joshua Adu Guni, a Ghanaian part-time teacher and installer of digital satellites, is the most recent casualty of the extremes of gambling.
He revealed to well-known blogger Zion Felix in a viral video that he began betting in 2019 while still in school and that he has lost a lot of money to gambling.
His addiction prompted him to use his father’s medical bills of GH¢15,000 (about $959), leading him to seek help.
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He candidly recounted, “I started betting in 2019 but I became addicted when a friend introduced me to casino. He introduced me to roulette in 2020. He didn’t really teach but he used my phone to bet and gave me money when he won, which caught my attention.”
He shared one of his first experiences: “My uncle asked me to sell his plumbing materials. After I sold them, I got GH¢7,000 and went to give him the money, but he wasn’t around. Three days later, I started using the money to gamble bit by bit. By the time I realized it was finished.”
Guni’s activities strained his connection with his uncle, who was financing his education at Ideal College at the time, causing him to drop out.
Guni admitted to utilizing GH¢5,000 of his mother’s money in addition to his father’s medical expenses. He also confessed to using customers’ money as well as selling his phone to place a wager only to purchase a new one if he won.
He is, nevertheless, prepared and eager to accept help for the issue at hand. He declared, “I will be very happy if someone wants to help me. If there is rehab and the person wants to take me there. I am fully devoted, even if it’s right now, I don’t have a problem. I am ready to stop. Someone said it is spiritual but I don’t believe it.”
Guni even encouraged the youth to avoid gambling because it is “deadly.”
The problems with betting and gambling in the nation are vast. The alluring prospect of fast money has led to an increase in gambling addiction, especially among young people who frequently underestimate the potential risks involved, according to statistics that reveal alarming patterns.
One study found that college students were unclear whether sports betting was exclusive to lazy people who did not want to work or if it went against their religious convictions. Still, the students brought up the topics of sports addiction, extreme risk, and public disdain for gamblers. Thus, the study concluded that, while sports betting looks to be worthwhile, it is addictive and can do more harm than good.
It is crucial to recognize that societal influences, such as peer pressure and the media’s constant promotion of gambling, have a huge impact on this growing trend. These elements foster an atmosphere where betting is not only accepted but encouraged.
How many more lives will be ruined by the lure of easy money if we overlook this crisis? It’s time for us to step up and make sure that our children can pursue their aspirations without having to worry about gambling addiction by educating them and creating a culture of understanding and prevention.
