Prof. Eli Katunguka- Rwakishaya, the Vice Chancellor Kyambogo University has warned that sports’ betting is likely to become a disaster in the future as young people turn to it as a quick source of income.
Prof Katunguka- Rwakishaya says a section of students at his university have gone as far as gambling their tuition on sports betting.
Prof Katunguka was speaking at the recent 4th Graduation ceremony at the National Teaches’ College- Unyama in Gulu.
Katunguka said whenever English teams such Arsenal or Manchester United are playing, dozens of students visit betting centers to bet their tuition.
He said some have missed end of semester’s exams after losing their money in gambling.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the habit has led to mushrooming betting centers around the institution as number students interested in gambling swells.
There are also reports that some of the students failed to graduate after they reportedly gambled their tuition money.
Sports’ betting has in the past few years become very popular in many part of Uganda.
Most districts and major trading centres in northern Uganda have sports betting shops.
Janet Omona, a resident of Lapainat in Koro in Gulu says youth who are out of school of have resorted to stealing to support the habit.
Oroma says the youth have turned stealing domestic animals like goats to sell and get money for betting.
The Gulu District LCV Chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi asked government to issue strict guidelines so as to discourage youth from wasting valuable time at betting centers instead of engaging in productive activities.
Psychologists warn that gambling is an addiction that sufferers exhibit when they become so excessively preoccupied with the activity of gambling to the exclusion of everything and everyone else, including their own families
