In today’s interconnected world of technology and entertainment, individuals can be lured towards excessive gambling. As a result, it becomes increasingly crucial to understand the complexities of this addictive behaviour and its impact on society.

Adam Bradford, co-founder of Crucial Compliance Africa, an organisation dedicated to promoting safe gambling, has a personal connection to the issue. He witnessed the devastating effects of gambling addiction through his own father, who once struggled with the affliction.

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In an episode of The Long Form podcast, Bradford revealed that, at the age of 21, his father was sentenced to a two-year prison term for embezzling $65,000 from his employers while working as an accountant. This stolen money was primarily used to fuel his gambling addiction, which had remained hidden for about three decades, with the majority of his gambling activities taking place online.

Bradford said his father had also amassed a staggering half a million pounds in debt due to his gambling habit.

"It was just bad luck after bad luck, but what kept him going was the tiny possible chance that he could’ve won. And that’s what he became addicted to,” he said.

After facing the experiences, Bradford decided to dedicate himself to campaigning and advocating against unethical practices within the gambling industry, addressing issues such as poor safeguards, lack of treatment options, awareness, and understanding of gambling-related problems.

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Through different campaigns, Bradford and his team influenced changes in several laws in the UK. This, he said, included imposing restrictions on how much individuals can spend on certain products, thereby reducing potential harm caused by excessive gambling.

Additionally, they managed to secure increased contributions from the industry to support initiatives aimed at tackling gambling-related issues.

Bradford emphasised that gambling can be as psychologically addictive as substance abuse, affecting the brain’s functioning in similar ways.

He pointed out the difficulty in identifying signs of betting addiction, as there are often no obvious physical indicators. However, certain behavioural patterns can be red flags, such as chasing losses to recover previous expenditures, exceeding budgeted gambling limits, and resorting to selling possessions to finance the addiction.

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Bradford highlighted a prevalent misconception across African countries, including Rwanda, where gambling is perceived as a means to earn extra money. He expressed concern about the growing trend of gambling among young people, emphasising that it can have effects beyond being a social activity as excessive gambling has the potential to adversely impact lives, finances, and families.

"With Rwanda, companies need to be more compliant. They need to follow the rules and make sure that they keep their customers as protected as they can,” he said.

Bradford highlighted that gambling can lead to various harms, such as strained family relationships, financial instability, depression, and more.

Regarding education, he stressed the necessity of integrating awareness about potential risks into the curriculum or local communities.

He said Crucial Compliance Africa aims to collaborate with local youth, entrepreneurs, and entities to develop solutions to the problem, as they do across Africa.

Despite the negative consequences, Bradford acknowledges that gambling also contributes positively to the country by generating taxes, offering employment opportunities, providing entertainment, and supporting various sports.

"I don’t see gambling in itself as a bad thing,” he explained. "The issue is where it crosses the line from being something fun to something dangerous.”

He emphasised the importance of considering safeguarding as a comprehensive approach, rather than merely focusing on the prevalence of the problem. Additionally, he proposed utilising a portion of gambling taxes to fund a national concerted effort in research, education, and support.