(AsiaGameHub) –   Medical professionals in Indonesia report a sharp increase in inpatients suffering from gambling addictions, with several hospitals struggling to manage the rising patient count.

The Indonesian media outlet Jatim Times reports that the surge in patient numbers is driving a steep rise in hospital bed occupancy rates. Officials note that during certain times of the year, these rates have exceeded 90%.

Doctors attribute much of this trend to severe gambling addiction. Staff at Surabaya’s Menur Mental Hospital stated that between January and April 2025, the facility treated 51 patients with serious gambling disorders—16 of whom were inpatients. By May, that number had reached 85.

These statistics point to a significant upward trend. For the entire year of 2024, the same hospital treated a total of 68 gambling addicts.

Trend Extends to Other Parts of Indonesia

The Surabaya figures are not isolated. Physicians in the capital, Jakarta, have reported similar patterns.

In November 2024, Indonesian media outlet Radar Bangkalan reported that staff at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) said around 100 people had received inpatient treatment for gambling-related issues in recent months.

Kristiana Siste Kurniasanti, head of the hospital’s Psychiatry Division, noted there has been a “significant rise” in the number of patients with similar conditions.

She said approximately 200 outpatients are also receiving treatment for gambling addiction, adding that some patients are as young as 14.

Siste stated the figures doubled in 2023 and tripled the following year.

“These figures have continued to balloon,” she added. “Addicts don’t know when it’s morning, afternoon, or evening anymore,” she told Indonesian media outlets last week.

“They don’t even know when their money is gone. Addicts will go to any lengths to find money to gamble. They even commit crimes, such as stealing other people’s money and belongings.”

Experts told Radar Bangkalan that similar cases “have been found in many areas,” with the number of patients likely much higher in other parts of the country.

Medics said online gambling began to gain traction in Indonesia during the coronavirus pandemic. They blamed easily accessible online loan providers for enabling people to bet on credit.

Earlier this month, police in Kupang city arrested a taxi driver they said had become addicted to gambling.

The 30-year-old man allegedly pawned his employer’s car to fund his online betting sprees.

Police Make Arrests

Meanwhile, police continue their crackdown on online casinos, which has so far seen regulators freeze tens of thousands of dollars in hundreds of citizens’ bank accounts.

Officials say all the accounts were used to make deposits or withdrawals on online casino platforms.

In East Java’s Ngawi Regency, regional police officers report they have arrested six people on suspicion of using their mobile phones to gamble online.

The media outlet Surya Indonesia reported that police confiscated all six suspects’ mobile phones and bank cards.

At a press conference, they showed media representatives screenshots of banking applications they said the suspects used to place online bets.

“We will crack down on all social ills, including […] online gambling,” a police official told the press. “We ask for the community’s help in this matter. Together, we can work to create a safe and comfortable environment in the Ngawi Regency.”