Betting

Many young people in Ghana told us they feel pressure to earn money to support themselves or their families. Phones and social media make it look like there are fast ways to do that, especially through betting and gambling.

This page is here to share the real facts, including risks people don’t always talk about, so you can make informed choices and smart clicks.

Did you know?

Betting and gambling are illegal for anyone under 18.

Many teens don’t know this. Betting apps and websites often don’t explain the rules clearly, but the law still applies, and there’s a good reason it is illegal for you!

Being under 18 and betting can lead to:

  • Addiction and loss of control

  • Emotional and psychological distress (anxiety, shame, hopelessness)

  • Financial harm, including stealing or borrowing to keep betting

  • Negative impacts on school attendance, concentration, and performance

Betting takes more money than it gives you.

At first, betting can feel exciting or hopeful. But for most teens, what actually happens is:

  • Most people lose money, not win

  • Big wins are rare and unpredictable

  • Small bet losses add up fast

  • Data costs drain money quietly

Over time, most teens lose far more money than they ever gain!

Betting is addictive, especially to Teens!

Betting is designed to be addictive, so that companies can take more of your money. When you bet, your brain starts craving the risk and excitement and it’s hard to stop.

This can lead to:

  • Feeling anxious, stressed, ashamed, or hopeless

  • Losing control and feeling unable to stop

  • Chasing losses by betting more

  • Borrowing money, lying, or stealing to keep up

Short-term choices can have long-term effects.

Small bets have big risks:

  • Betting can hurt your focus, attendance, and grades at school. That might not seem like a big deal now, but school performance affects your future job options and how much money you can earn later in life. A small win today isn’t worth losing bigger opportunities tomorrow.

Getting involved in betting now can lead to:

  • School exclusion

  • Arrest or legal trouble

  • Being labelled or stigmatised

  • Fewer chances for jobs or training later

Don’t rely on betting as a way to make money, you have other options!

Don’t rely on betting for money…

Phones, data, and betting can quietly take more money than you realise. Many teens say they can’t afford tools or materials to start something positive — but at the same time:

  • Betting apps can use a lot of data

  • Repeated small bets add up fast

  • Scams and criminal networks often take most of the profit at the top

In many cases, the money spent on data for betting and on betting itself could instead be used to start something that actually builds your future.

What to do instead…

There are better options, even if you only have small amounts of money to start with. Teens in Ghana are already using social media to:

  • Learn skills (repairs, tailoring, farming tips, art, crafts, digital skills)

  • Practice and improve over time

  • Make and sell things (food, clothes, crafts, phone repairs, art)

  • Promote their work online

Some young people also earn through posting age-appropriate digital content creation (educational, entertainment, or lifestyle content). With time and consistency, this can lead to income, opportunities, or partnerships, without breaking the law or harming others.

Choosing safer ways to make money can help you:

  • Build real skills that last

  • Feel proud of what you create

  • Stay in school and protect your education

  • Keep your future options open

  • Earn money without fear, stress, or trouble

There aren’t real “quick wins” without risks, but there are paths that grow over time and give you more choices later.