By Emmanuel wise Jipoh
Montserrado County District#10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah, said he will shortly introduce a bill in the Legislature to legalize sports betting in the country.
Representative Kolubah made the disclosure on Wednesday, 12 October when he was seen cutting tickets at one of Winners Incorporated, sales centers in his district on Old Road.
The opposition lawmaker, who is on annual break, was spotted placing his drill, ahead of the crucial UEFA Champions’ League group stage round three matches.
According to him, the bill will seek to regulate gambling in Liberia by legalizing every aspect of the market, noting that would be nice for the country that is already struggling in poverty under the George Weah administration.
Thousands of unemployed youths across the country have gravitated to sports gambling, which has attracted several international sports betting companies to set up shops in Liberia.
They gather at these betting parlors to gamble on televised soccer matches. Some say it is a good source of income and occupation, but others are not so sure.
In Liberia, sports betting has become a real job opportunity for young people, who converge daily at various betting parlors in Monrovia, including Winner’s Incorporated, DOXXBET, and BETTOMAX Liberia, among others to watch soccer matches on flat-screen televisions via satellite, placing their bets and waiting for the results.
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Few youths at a gaming center in Monrovia told The NEW DAWN that sports betting for them have become the only option since, in fact, they are jobless and without any source of income.
Winner’s Incorporated marketing manager, Randall Kaybee, said sports betting is “transforming lives of Liberians” for just a few Liberian dollars per bet.
“As you just enter my office, you can see from this evidence. This is a ticket. Somebody bet 50 LRD and won 233,275 Liberian dollars,” said Kaybee. Editing by Jonathan Browne
