A Gambling-addicted man files fake mugging case to escape his wife’s wrath.

(AsiaGameHub) –   Indonesian online casino users grappling with gambling addiction are turning to increasingly extreme tactics to hide their betting activities.

These tactics include creating fake mugging reports, as reported by the Indonesian media outlet Suarakendari.

The most recent such incident allegedly occurred in the city of Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi Province, where authorities clarified that a viral social media report about a “violent mugging” had raised alarm.

Officers stated the incident involves a 26-year-old man with the initials ME, a resident of Kendari’s Poasia District.

The man has “confessed to fabricating the incident out of fear that his wife would scold him for spending his money on online gambling platforms,” police said.

Bogus Bandit Report

Authorities noted that ME arrived at the Kendari police station on the afternoon of Sunday, March 22, 2026. He told police officers that four unknown individuals had attacked him at 1 p.m.

In his statement to police, ME claimed that two motorcycle riders, each carrying a passenger, had stopped him in the street.

He provided detailed descriptions of the attackers and their vehicles, stating they stole a bag and his wallet before fleeing the scene.

However, police noted they detected several irregularities and inconsistencies in the victim’s account.

“After further investigation, the victim eventually admitted the report was false,” a police spokesperson said.

In reality, they found the man’s bag and IDR 2.3 million (around $137) had indeed been stolen, though not in a mugging.

Police reported the bag was stolen by thieves at 6 a.m. that same day, while ME was washing his car.

But ME said he had exploited the loss to invent a story aimed at covering up his recent unsuccessful $180 online gambling spree.

In his statement, ME told police the muggers had escaped with IDR 5.3 million, or $315.

Similar cases are increasing in Indonesia. In January, police accused a man in the Arjosari District of Pacitan Regency, East Java, of faking a violent robbery to cover his own online casino losses.

The man also shared on social media that he had been beaten and mugged by a gang of highway bandits and filed a complaint with police.

He told police the bandits had stolen his money, cut his hand, and made off with his motorcycle.

In reality, police said, the man had fabricated the entire story. Officers noted the wound was self-inflicted, and they traced the motorcycle to the man’s friend, who told detectives he had bought the vehicle from the suspect.

Addiction Cases on the Rise

These developments come as Indonesian doctors issue warnings of sharp increases in the number of inpatients being treated for gambling addiction.

Some hospitals report struggling to cope as patient numbers continue to rise steadily.

Officials say that at certain times of the year, hospital bed occupancy rates have exceeded 90%. Some prominent psychiatric wards state they are treating hundreds of gambling-addicted patients.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s anti-money laundering agency reports that gambling deposits surged after the Eid al-Fitr holiday period. This marks the second consecutive year the agency has observed such a rise post-Eid.