‘”Game moja imeniua” imekua ni wimbo’ is a painfully true and funny cry of all Kenyans who have betting tendencies. Everyone,or at least everyone I know is betting. Old men,old women, bachelors,spinsters,married men,married women,divorcees and sadly,people on honeymoon. It is scarily addictive. It is a risky business. Why do people bet,you ask.

I am glad you asked. The answer is greed and love of shortcuts. People will blame joblessness but then again I will remind them that even those in gainful employment are also betting. They might even claim it is the devil’s doing but then again,why don’t they pray and fast so they do not fall into temptations. Simply put,it is just greed. Not God,not Satan can be accused of making anyone to gamble.

It all starts with people joining a gambling site,they are many,they are numerous, which promises a quick route to riches. The gambler places a bet that a certain team will win or draw and if the team wins the gambler wins a certain amount depending on the amount he or she gambles on. This will encourage the gambler to bet more often and maybe even increase the amount he/she gambles with. They may even convince family,friends and acquaintances to join the betting fray and before long,everyone is betting.

It is all well if you are winning. It is bad if you are losing. It is worse if you are losing often.It is tragic if you are a serial loser. If you are a serial loser you may end up gambling on your household items,house and even family. Yes,there are such cases. In Uganda someone lost his wife to a friend thanks to an Arsenal FC loss. It is common for people to do such. Anyway, serial losers are the worst people as they will try to increase the amounts they bet on so that they can recover the amounts lost and then they lose again. And again and again.

Young people are gambling with their entire pocket money, rent and sometimes school fees. Years later,they won’t graduate because they didn’t sit for a certain exam due to non-payment of fees. Some may turn suicidal. It is a bigger problem than we give it credit but maybe we will see its effects years later.

Always remember,

1. The house(the betting company) never loses. You can never outsmart them,

2. It is addictive. Just like any other drug peddled in dark alleys, it will give you a false high leaving you with terrible withdrawal symptoms once it is done with you. Get counselling, get cured.

Anyway,  I actually don’t know why ‘kanjos’ chase those cons with their cards in town and yet the national government is busy registering new betting companies daily.Is there a difference really?

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