The Rwandan Government says it will review the operations of the gambling industry following concerns that some people are spending large amounts of money on gambling, with consequences including poverty, alcohol abuse, family breakdown and involvement in illegal activities.
Some gamblers say the activity has caused them significant financial losses, although many continue to struggle to quit.
Joseph Habimana, a resident of Kigali, says he started gambling in 2013 while running a retail shop in the city of Gisenyi. He says the money he spent on gambling eventually affected his business, leading to its collapse.
“I started gambling in 2013 while running a retail shop. I had a job, but the entire business collapsed because of gambling.”
Beatrice Nyiramahirwe a resident of Kigali, says she also lost her business after spending money on gambling. She says she owned a bar worth around two million Rwandan francs, but gradually began spending increasing amounts of money on gambling.
“I would come to restock my business and start by gambling with 100 francs. Then there were other games, including what they call ‘Akadege (Aviator)’, and all the money would disappear. The bar eventually collapsed, and I had to close it.”
Senator Dr Charles Murigande is calling on the Government to treat gambling as a serious issue that could have significant consequences for families and the national economy. He says the Government should take measures similar to those introduced to address substandard alcoholic beverages.
“This issue should also be addressed seriously. Just as you took action against substandard alcoholic beverages, you should also take action on this issue. It would help people to improve their lives and save money, while also contributing to the development of the financial sector.”
Dr Justin Nsengiyumva, Prime Minister says the Government had previously introduced measures to regulate gambling, but acknowledges that they may not have produced the expected results. He says the Government will reassess the issue and determine whether the existing measures are still adequate.
“We will also look into this issue, just as we did with substandard alcoholic beverages, because the measures we introduced appear not to have fully addressed the problem.”
While the Government plans to review the regulations governing gambling, industry operators say there are measures that could help reduce the number of people who develop problematic gambling habits.
Claude Mushimire, head of the gambling industry association, says technology-based measures are being considered. He says artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to identify people who are developing gambling problems and help prevent them from continuing to gamble excessively.
From an economic perspective, experts argue that the solution does not necessarily have to be a complete ban on gambling. Instead, they say stronger mechanisms should be introduced to control its potential negative consequences.
Prof. Egide Karuranga, an economist, says there should be mechanisms to regulate the amount of money an individual is allowed to spend on gambling based on their financial capacity and applicable laws.
“There should be a system for verifying people’s identities, complying with international standards and taking into account an individual’s financial capacity and the amount that they or their family can afford to spend. Such information should be recorded in an appropriate system.”
Mental health professionals also say the problem is not simply gambling itself, but becomes more serious when people begin using money that was intended for essential household needs.
Dr Uwanyirigira Claudine, a psychiatrist, advises gamblers to use only money that is not needed for other important responsibilities.
“I advise them to gamble only with money that is not allocated to an important family need. Even if they lose that money, there should still be food at home, school fees should have been paid, and if they own a car, there should still be money for fuel.”
There are currently five licensed gambling companies operating in Rwanda, alongside two other companies that operate casinos.
