The Bauchi State House of Assembly has passed a bill banning all forms of Gambling, ownership and operations of gaming machines in the state including NaijaBet, BetNaija among others.

The Member representing Lere/Bula constituency, Aminu Tukur, who spoke to Journalists after the House’ sitting in Bauchi said the law seeks to ban all forms of gambling and its operations in the state .

He said the bill, which was co-sponsored by 10 other Members, want the law to be cited as the gambling and gaming machines prohibited law of the state.

Other co-sponsors of the bill are the Speaker of the House, Kawuwa Damina (Darazo), Maryam Bagel (Dass), Salisu Ajilanga (Gamawa), Ibrahim Hassan (Duguri), Yusuf Dadiye, Yusuf Nuhu (Ganjuwa), Idris Idris (Dambam), Abdullahi Abdulkadir (Bura), Garba Musa (Sakwa) and Markus Makama (Bogoro).

Tukur said:

“The law passed the first, second reading and third readings instantly on the floor of the house, looking at the importance of the bill by the honourable members of the house in the state,” he said.

“The bill would ensure that gambling is not only banned but will sanitise the morality of our youth and children.”

According to him, both Islam and Christianity do not encourage or support gambling which is a waste of funds and encourages immorality in the society.

Tukur added that the bill would also rectify the bad norms and culture created by gambling in the society today.

He said that if assented to by the state Governor, the bill would reduce the menace of social vices that have taken over the morality of the society.

He said the law provides that any gaming machine, be it electronic or otherwise found in a place after three months of the commencement of the law shall be forfeited to the state government.

The sponsor of the bill commended the Speaker of the Assembly, Kawuwa Damina and other members of the Assembly for being the first to pass such moral advancement bill into law in the state.