Abstract:
Gambling is a cross-cultural and global activity which typically involves the wagering of
money or an item of monetary value on an outcome that is governed by chance. Although
gambling is positioned as a legitimate recreational and leisure activity within subSaharan Africa (SSA), there is widespread recognition among healthcare professionals
and policy-makers that gambling has the capacity to become dysfunctional in a minority.
Emerging knowledge suggests that problem gambling is rapidly evolving in to a public
health concern in SSA, especially among youth. This article focuses on problem
gambling among young people in SSA with an emphasis on three key themes: (1)
gambling behavior and patterns in SSA; (2) public health and socioeconomic
implications of gambling in SSA; and (3) public health policies and interventions for
addressing this issue. We believe that collaborative efforts between government,
prevention specialists, legislators, researchers, treatment providers, and other stake
holders can influence the uptake of research findings necessary to implement social
policies and design effective public health intervention options to combat problem
gambling and its associated implications among young people in SSA.