From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has prioritized the welfare of the good people of the state by laying solid foundation for the residents of the state and investors to thrive in their businesses.
The Director-General, Oyo State Gaming Board, Mr. Olajide Boladuro, made the disclosure a stakeholders’ interactive forum, held at House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
According to him, “The welfare of the people of Oyo State is indeed of greater concern to Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde. We have therefore taken this mandate very seriously by addressing the issues of responsible gaming in Oyo State. This is why we have themed this year’s forum: Redefining Responsible Gaming.
“I know that many of you, our operators would wonder why we chose this theme in the face of the apparent overlap in regulatory functions between the Federal and State Governments. We realize that while the important, but banal discussions on the regulatory overlap are often brought up at fora like this one, little attention is paid to the punters the fulcrum of the gambling business.
“Problem and responsible gambling is a constant focus of ongoing research and advancement worldwide, and with recent market studies, estimating that the global casino market alone will expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 10 per cent over the next five years, the importance of proactive responsible gaming programmes is paramount. We have no doubt that discussions from this forum will chart a new and better path for you and for us.”
Boladuro noted that the gaming and lottery industry is gaining traction in Nigeria, “and from KPMG’s survey, it is in fact a multi-million-dollar industry. While we are excited to tap into the enormous revenue potentials that the gaming and lottery industry presents, my priority , and indeed that of my team is to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This is why, rather than impose killer taxes on our esteemed gaming operators, we have engaged them in conversation that reveal their business concerns.