{"id":3716,"date":"2025-06-05T08:37:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T11:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/?p=3716"},"modified":"2026-04-19T16:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T19:30:20","slug":"nigerias-first-free-gambling-rehab-centre-opens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/nigerias-first-free-gambling-rehab-centre-opens","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria&#8217;s first-free gambling rehab centre opens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>GamblePause leads the charge against gambling addiction with a first-of-its-kind, no-cost recovery hub, bridging virtual therapy with real human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Nigeria.- In a bold and unprecedented move that could reshape Nigeria\u2019s mental health and addiction landscape, <strong>GamblePause <\/strong>has unveiled the country\u2019s <strong>first free gambling rehabilitation centre<\/strong>. This new facility based in Lagos offers more than just therapy, it\u2019s a lifeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GamblePause, widely recognised for its advocacy of <strong>responsible gambling<\/strong>, is now translating words into action. The centre provides comprehensive, in-person support to those battling gambling addiction, completely free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It marks a major evolution from digital therapy services to physical, face-to-face care, which is an urgent response to the voices of clients who felt screen-based support wasn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey needed a space where they could heal face-to-face, engage with others who understand their struggles, and receive expert care in a setting that prioritises dignity, empathy and confidentiality. This centre is our response to that call,\u201d said GamblePause founder <strong>Ladipo Abiose Akolade<\/strong>, according to This Day publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healing begins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each person who comes to the centre receives understanding and support with licensed clinical psychologists and experienced counsellors on staff. Some need individual therapy while others find comfort in group sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also programs focused on preventing relapse and building everyday life skills, which can make a big difference during recovery. Plans are already moving forward to offer <strong>full residential care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAppointments can be scheduled through our official social media platforms,\u201d Akolade added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The centre takes a deep-dive approach to recovery, focusing not just on surface symptoms but on the emotional scars and psychological triggers. It\u2019s a holistic model which is human-centred, compassionate and deeply transformative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Backed by the <strong>Lottery Regulatory Office<\/strong> and other vital partners, the initiative is quickly gaining momentum. Stakeholder discussions are already in motion to secure long-term sustainability, with support from both national and international allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akolade, who has personally financed much of the project through personal loans, is now calling on the wider community to rally behind the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe call on more stakeholders, industry leaders and philanthropists to partner with us. This rehabilitation centre marks a critical step in advancing responsible gambling practices in Nigeria and creating a support system that reflects empathy from the gaming industry toward its players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"see-also-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"see-also-label\">See also:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-article\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"related-article__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/nfl-signs-up-to-agas-responsible-gambling-campaign-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"related-article__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"see-also-label-strong\">See also:<\/span> <a href='https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/responsible-gambling-symposium-set-to-take-place-in-lagos'>Responsible gambling symposium set to take place in Lagos<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GamblePause leads the charge against gambling addiction with a first-of-its-kind, no-cost recovery hub, bridging virtual therapy with real human connection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2396,"featured_media":3719,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"is_press_release":false,"is_interview":false,"is_opinion":false,"focusai_summary":"GamblePause has launched Nigeria's first free, in-person gambling rehabilitation center in Lagos, marking a significant shift from digital-only support to comprehensive physical care. Backed by the Lottery Regulatory Office and other partners, the initiative aims to advance responsible gambling practices and secure long-term sustainability through broader stakeholder engagement and funding.","focusai_entities":"GamblePause, Ladipo Abiose Akolade, This Day, Lottery Regulatory Office","focusai_location":"Nigeria, Lagos","focusai_target_profile":"ceo_executive (0.9), regulator (1.0), compliance_legal (0.85), operator_casino (0.9), investor_analyst (0.8), supplier_vendor (0.7), journalist_researcher (0.95)","focusai_suggestions":[{"label":"Funding & Scalability Model?","query":"What sustainable funding mechanisms, beyond personal loans and philanthropic calls, are being explored to ensure the long-term viability and potential scalability of GamblePause's free residential care model across Nigeria?"},{"label":"Regulatory Integration Impact?","query":"How will the Lottery Regulatory Office integrate this free rehabilitation model into Nigeria's broader responsible gambling framework, and what are the implications for B2C operator licensing requirements and industry contributions?"}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[60016,60012],"tags":[1593],"class_list":["post-3716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","category-west-africa","tag-responsible-gambling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3716"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3725,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716\/revisions\/3725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}