As parts of its role to regulate the gaming industry in Oyo State, Oyo State Gaming Board has launched a strict awareness against underage betting in the state and announced a fine of N500,000 against any defaulter just as it reiterated its determination to promote and encourage responsible gaming in the state.
This information was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Oyo State Gaming Board, Mr Lekan Abari, on Wednesday while addressing stakeholders in the interactive session on lottery and sports betting in the state.
The occasion was the first quarterly stakeholders’ interactive forum of 2019 organised by the board for the stakeholders tagged “Presentation on the Present Clime in Gaming Regulation” held at the conference room, Board of Internal revenue, state secretariat, Ibadan.
The Board then launched a sensitisation sticker with ‘+18 only’ message in red colour, given to all stakeholders who attended the forum free, to be pasted to their respective offices, thus sending across the message to operators and their stakeholders.
He informed that the board will embark on sensitisation of the public on the development, warning that any operator found culpable will pay a fine of N500,000 only.
Abari who commended the participants for their cooperation with the board in the area of documentation said “in the last eight months since the inauguration forum, the Oyo State Gaming Board has been able to set up a robust framework and policies for gaming regulation and compliance in Oyo State.
The CEO further quoted section 27 sub section 1 of the Oyo State gaming law which states that no licence or an employee of a licensee shall invite, cause or permit an underage or vulnerable person or play, place or engage in a gaming activity either personally or through an agent.
