According to the Addis Ababa Peace and Security Office, the huge disruption of the daily socioeconomic life of the city’s citizens and local government was the reason behind the closure of betting shops.
The bureau asserted that betting houses were fueling crime because they were driving young people out of the city and that most of the establishments were involved in illicit activities that led to the wrong kind of deaths because students were quitting school and failing to learn the necessary lessons, which interfered with the educational process.
The National Lottery Management Act prohibits gambling by minors under the age of 21 and prohibits betting establishments from operating 200 metres or less from educational institutions.
Before making the choice, the betting houses are said to have been surveilled by the National Lottery Administration, Addis Ababa City Administration Police Commission, Addis Ababa City Rule Enforcement Officials, and the Addis Ababa City Administration Peace and Security Office.
While illicit sports betting establishments in Addis Ababa have been targeted, sports betting and betting in general have not been outlawed in Ethiopia.
The National Lottery Administration recently declared that certain unidentified texts circulating on social media claiming that “Betting” will be outlawed are entirely false and that the National Lottery Administration is the only source of information regarding sports betting games.
Earlier, the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs announced that it is working on outlawing “Betting/Sports Betting” completely.
The National Lottery Administration claims that “Betting” is a profitable “game” rather than “gambling,” and many individuals are involved in this industry. However, the office believes that “Betting” is a “gambling” that presents several risks to young people.
The National Lottery Administration states that “Betting” guidelines are being established and have been released.
It was stated months ago that instead of outright prohibiting individuals because of the advantages and disadvantages, it would be better for the relevant parties to look into whether the activity has caused a social disaster, to abide by the law, and to keep an eye on things to make sure that people who shouldn’t be allowed to participate don’t.