Pape Samba Kane saw the drama coming (By Abdoulaye DIALLO) May 16, 2026
The journalist-writer had nevertheless warned us. The uncontrolled proliferation of online gambling, he said, constitutes a real catastrophe. He spoke of “deadly bets” that could do more damage than the collective suicides of “Barça or Barsakh”. “To do nothing in the face of this scourge is to contribute to allowing youth to plunge into social decline which can lead to all kinds of excesses, even death,” warned Pape Samba Kane, during the Literary Thursdays of the Blaise Senghor Cultural Center in Dakar, in April 2025.
Our colleague’s predictions today turn out to be sadly accurate. Beyond shattered lives and destroyed families, online gambling now causes death. The latest victim is a 42-year-old non-commissioned officer, stationed at the Tambacounda gendarmerie legion. “I can no longer continue living…” he wrote in a farewell letter that was both chilling and moving. According to several consistent elements, the deceased lost large sums in online betting, aggravating financial difficulties which were the cause of his suicide. A preventable death? Perhaps, if Pope Samba Kane’s repeated warnings had been heard earlier. Because for more than twenty years, the journalist has multiplied articles, television shows, workshops and conferences to sound the alarm on the ravages of gambling. To his credit, two works devoted to this issue: “Casinos and slot machines in Senegal: the lying poker of politicians”, published in 2006, and “The madness of gambling”, published in 2025. The first is aimed at adults; the second targets more young people. Both describe the damage caused by digital gambling addiction. Very early on, Pope Samba Kane saw the danger coming. He constantly called on state authorities, media players and the country’s active forces to stand up against this digital scourge that is as invisible as it is devastating. Everywhere he spoke, the journalist urged people to be aware of the threat, tirelessly repeating this now famous phrase: “It has been scientifically proven that gambling produces effects comparable to those of cocaine or heroin.”
Current events today invite us to take this phenomenon very seriously. The tragic death of the non-commissioned officer shows how deep the evil is and requires general mobilization. On the front line: the press and public decision-makers. The press has the role of denouncing, raising awareness and raising awareness among young people. It is up to decision-makers to strengthen legislation, impose heavier taxes and limit the proliferation of gaming platforms. Because on mobile phones, hundreds of applications now provide access to all the games traditionally present in casinos: blackjack, poker, roulette, slot machines. Smartphones have become veritable “portable casinos”, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, making control even more difficult. As Pape Samba Kane often repeats, everything must be done to curb the ravages of this digital dependence. “Many researchers have worked on this question and made major discoveries. In particular, they observed that people addicted to games display behaviors comparable to those of drug addicts. Some studies also suggest biological reactions similar to those observed in cocaine or heroin users. Basically, Pape Samba Kane had already said everything. What now remains is to act. To avoid other broken destinies and undoubtedly other deaths.
