THE Kedah government is driving gambling underground and online with its refusal to renew the licences of 4D gaming operators, which until now have been legitimate businesses, said people involved in the rehabilitation of gambling addicts.

The PAS-led state may want to achieve “zero-gambling” but it will end up with more problems arising from illegal gambling, they said.

As it is, illegal gambling activities have flourished in the last eight years, especially so in the last two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, rehabilitation counsellors told The Malaysian Insight.

Hardcore gamblers now include 15-year-olds, no thanks to the prevalence of smartphones and the internet, they added.

It used to be that gamblers had to drive to Genting Highlands which has casinos but now bets can be placed with just a smartphone, said Choo Chee Cheong, director of the NGA Gambling Rehab Ministry.

“Mobile phones have become indispensable for young people to the point they can’t live without their phones. 

“Advertisements for betting games and online gambling are aimed at them and these ads are pervasive. 

“Moreover, online gambling does not require a lot of money to start. After the first few wins, those who try quickly become addicted,” Choo told The Malaysian Insight.

Choo said about half the cases at his ministry involve gamblers between aged 15 to 20.

He has handled a case of a 15-year-old who had racked up debts of up to RM300,000.

“The family managed to repay one debt but the boy continued and borrowed larger amounts through a friend. The loan amount was originally RM10,000, but the final repayment soared to more than RM100,000.

“There are also addicts in the 30-50 age group and those over 60. Most gamblers are men.”

Choo added that his ministry received 10 requests for help on average each month.

Lim Tian Jin, who runs a rehabilitation centre in Johor Baru, said prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, people went to Genting Highlands or bought 4D tickets if they wished to gamble.

“But this year, 80% of gamblers have gone online and about 20% are buying illegal 4D. I’m seeing both men and women gamblers, including housewives and girls,” said Tian Jin.

What the people seeking help have in common, he added, are circumstances such as boredom from being stuck at home during lockdowns, or loss of income.

Gambling presents an easy opportunity to get money and thrills.

“In the beginning, the online gambling games let you win. After raising their bets, players start losing. The sober ones know how to stop and immediately get help but others are unable to do that and continue to borrow money to gamble.”

One of Tian Jin’s youngest cases was an 18-year-old girl who ran up a debt of RM30,000.

“The father helped her pay off the debt and the girl also promised the family that she will not gamble again. However, she began again and now has more debts, which caused the family to seek our help.”

Rehab organisations can only help hardcore gamblers quit their addiction. They cannot help pay gambling debts. 

Tian Jin stressed that gambling is not unique to Chinese culture, despite the picture painted by PAS leaders.

While there are certainly those who are addicted, gambling is usually treated as a game among relatives and family members when they reunite for the Chinese New Year holidays with their families.

“Adults and children play together. If you have a healthy family who can teach you where to draw the line, the chances of addiction will be lower.”

Gamblers’ Rehab Centre Malaysia president Lim Ban Loong said that the most attractive aspect of online gambling is its convenience. 

“It is also a faster way to lose money, because you can bet on everything with just a single press by the finger.”

In the last two months, he has received multiple requests from gamblers asking for help. The highest debt he has encountered in these cases is more than RM300,000. 

“The person was a 43-year-old who worked from home during the pandemic. He worked on one computer and used another computer to place bets. This led to gambling debts that  he couldn’t afford to pay.”

Ban Loong said the government should instead be cracking down on online gambling advertisements.

“These advertisements appear on social media and other communication channels and applications. 

“And when gamblers lose money, they will receive a message from those calling themselves a financial company, asking if cash or a loan is needed. The government should be targeting this kind of soliciting that is taking place online.”

Ultimately, however, Choo such advertisements are too pervasive to fight because technology is easily available.

“Unless you completely stop using your mobile phone, you can’t stop. We can only make changes on our own to become disciplined.”

Tian Jin agreed that one has to go cold turkey and stay away from one’s smartphone if one is to quit gambling. A person in rehab is not allowed to use his or her phone and he has found people hiding in the toilet with their gadgets to relieve their addiction.

“Even if Islamic law is implemented to shut down casinos and ban gambling in the country, how is the government going to shut down the internet to stop illegal gambling?” he asked.

Lim said it is more practical for the government to invest effort into teaching and creating awareness among primary school students about gambling and its consequences.

Earlier this week, four people in Kedah filed a judicial review for Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s decision to ban gambling in the state.

The plaintiffs are arguing that the matter of licences is not under the state but Parliament’s purview, and that the state government’s decision goes against the Federal Constitution. – November 24, 2021.