No fewer than six gaming centers have been shut down by the Oyo State government.
The six gaming centers were shut down on Friday by the State Gaming Board for allowing underage betting, especially students in uniforms during the school hours.
Director General, Oyo State Gaming Board, Mr. Olajide Boladuro who confirmed the closing of the gaming centers, added that the centres have been served with warning letters before they were shut.
He warned other centres to desist from allowing underage to participate in gaming or allowing them in their premises.
Boladuro lamented that the under-age children went to the centers with their school uniforms.
The state government had few days ago shut down some business premises.
It shut down some petroleum stations, commercial banks and other companies over failure to pay land use charges in the state.
Boladuro, while speaking on the sealing of the gaming centres, said that most of the operators were aware that the State government had banned under-age betting.
He said that some of the operators are yet to register under the State government.
Boladuro said, “Most of the operators are aware that the state government under the leadership of His Excellency, Engr. Seyi makinde frowned at underage gaming but most of them despite having being warned severally with letters and through media sensitizations, still persisted.
“Some of these children even go to the centers with their school uniforms when they should be in school learning, while some have turned those places to a hideout instead of going to school or be at home to help their parents.
‘’Also, we have many illegal Gaming center operators that are yet to register with the Board and thereby operating without license, there are some that refused to pay up their levies and dues despite several letters of reminder served on them.
‘’For government to fulfill all its financial obligations, all gaming centers as business owners need to remit their levies and to the rightful place as their civic duties, therefore, we implored the concerned gaming centers to cooperate with the government by fulfilling their statutory obligation as at when due.”
