In the latest news from Kuala Lumpur, a Malay individual has opened up about his struggles with online gambling addiction during the movement control order. The addiction led him to exhaust all his savings, resulting in bankruptcy. In an attempt to reach out to others, he took to social media platform TikTok to share his story.
According to mStar, an online media outlet, the man, known as PokTeh, expressed on TikTok that the prolonged period of staying at home during the movement control order fueled his addiction to online gambling. Starting with a modest sum of RM50, he gradually increased his bets to over RM3,000.
“At the beginning, I started with a RM50 bet. As I gradually increased it to RM200, I managed to win RM1,000,” he shared.
Driven by the belief that luck alone could easily bring him money, he escalated his bets. “I eventually wagered RM3,000, but as you can imagine, I only received RM50 in return.”
As his addiction intensified, he started placing bets of RM200 per game. Unsatisfied with the pace of the game, he took larger risks, wagering up to RM5,000, hoping to recoup RM10,000.
“The higher the bet, the more we lose; the lower the bet, the more we win back, but the money disappears quickly,” he admitted.
With mounting debts, he realized he was trapped in a vicious cycle. Even after resorting to long-term loans, he found himself unable to repay the debt. Consequently, he became blacklisted by banks and pursued by loan sharks.
“Over these five years, my debt has accumulated to RM300,000. I urge the public not to fall into the same gambling addiction as I did, leading to bankruptcy.”
His message serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the destructive consequences of gambling addiction and urging others to avoid its pitfalls.
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