A Ghanaian part-time teacher who also works as a digital satellite installer, Joshua Adu Guni, has made a heartfelt plea for help to overcome his addiction to betting.
Joshua revealed that he has lost significant amounts of money through gambling, including funds intended for his father’s medical expenses.
In a video shared on Instagram by Zionfelix, Joshua recounted how his betting journey began in 2019 while he was still in school.
He explained, “I started betting in 2019, but my addiction deepened in 2020 when a friend introduced me to roulette at a casino.
He didn’t exactly teach me, but he used my phone to place bets and gave me money when he won, which piqued my interest.”
During this period, Joshua was working with his uncle in Kasoa and gradually gambled away GH¢7,000 that belonged to his uncle.
He recalled, “My uncle asked me to sell his plumbing materials, and after doing so, I had GH¢7,000. I tried to give him the money, but he wasn’t around. Three days later, I started using the money to gamble bit by bit, and before I knew it, it was all gone.”
This incident strained his relationship with his uncle, who had been sponsoring Joshua’s education at Ideal College. As a result, Joshua had to drop out of school when his uncle withdrew the financial support.
In addition to the GH¢7,000, Joshua admitted to using GH¢15,000 meant for his father’s hospital bills and another GH¢5,000 of his mother’s money to fuel his gambling habit. He also confessed to using customers’ money for betting.
Joshua described the extent of his addiction, noting that when he loses a bet, he sometimes sells his phone, only to resume betting as soon as he gets a new one.
Acknowledging the difficulty of breaking free from his addiction, he expressed his readiness to receive help. “I will be very happy if someone wants to help me. If there is a rehab, and someone wants to take me there, I am fully committed. Even if it’s right now, I am ready to stop.”
He dismissed claims that his addiction is spiritual, stating, “Someone said it is spiritual, but I don’t believe it.”
Joshua currently lives with his parents in their family home, while his younger siblings are all married with children. He advised the youth to avoid betting, warning that it is “deadly.”
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