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View all search resultsYogyakarta student case spotlights child gambling crisis
According to Nur, the student was first drawn into gambling through online gaming, initially seeking money to play the games. What began as an attempt to earn quick cash soon escalated into a full-blown addiction, leaving him embroiled in debts.
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Online war: A person watches an online gambling advertisement on their tablet on June 19, 2024. The Communication and Information Ministry has blocked 2.1 million websites to counter online gambling. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
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nline gambling addiction among children has come under fresh scrutiny following an alarming case in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, where a junior high school student allegedly stole a family member’s ID card to borrow money from online lending platforms to fuel his gambling habit.
Nur Hadiyanto, Secretary of the Kulon Progo Education, Youth, and Sports Agency (Disdikpora), said the case came to light when the student’s school reported his unexplained month-long absence to the agency.
“When visiting the student, we discovered he did not want to go to school out of shame. He had borrowed around Rp 4 million from his classmates, and had not yet been able to repay them,” Nur said on Sunday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Nur explained that the borrowed money had been used to pay off debts from online lending platforms, which the student had used to fund his gambling addiction. The student reportedly also stole his aunt’s ID card to apply for loans, as a valid ID was required to borrow money from these platforms.
According to Nur, the student was first drawn into gambling through online gaming, initially seeking money to play the games. What began as an attempt to earn quick cash soon escalated into a full-blown addiction, leaving him embroiled in debts.
Nur added that his agency is currently assisting the student to ensure that the incident does not prevent him from continuing his education.
“If the student wishes to transfer to another school, the agency will facilitate the process. He can also participate in the junior high school equivalency program if he chooses that option,” Nur said.
