KUALA LUMPUR – Far from the heart-warming or funny ads rolled out for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, local online betting platform GDBet333 has released a commercial encouraging Muslims to gamble.
Gambling is forbidden in Islam and punishable under shariah law.
The two-minute, 48-second ad, which features a catchy Raya song, is of a Muslim man planning to return to his hometown, but lacking in cash.
The jingle claims there is an easy way to make money, and promotes GDBet333 as offering the chance to win big.
The chorus goes: “GDBet333 ada, apa nak tunggu, marilah cuba, untung nasibmu, engkau berjaya, cuci semua, kemudian beraya (There is GDBet333, what are you waiting for, try it, if you’re lucky, you’ll win, clean it out (winnings), then celebrate Raya.”
At the end of the commercial, the man arrives in his hometown in a new car after having won thousands of ringgit via the platform, much to the excitement of others in the kampung.
He then promotes GDBet333 to his family and friends.
The platform calls itself “Malaysia’s top and trusted online casino”, and offers live dealer betting, slot games, online poker and 4D lotteries.
The Raya ad was uploaded to the company’s YouTube account on April 9, and plays on its website’s landing page.
It recently began making the rounds on social media, with many netizens slamming the betting firm for its lack of sensitivity towards Muslims, who are now observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Twitter user @sueannajoe_ said it is mind-boggling that GDBet333 would pull such a stunt, while expressing concern that desperate individuals may be deceived or enticed into gambling.
“People are desperate these days, and they are willing to do anything. Also, (there is concern that) there are those who are naive and may not know this is betting.”
Another user, @perdanamentari, urged police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to take immediate action, saying the ad is disrespectful and an open invitation to Muslims to commit sin.
And, @Nabil_Malaysia asked the Malaysian Islamic Development Department to look into the matter, saying it should not be taken lightly.
There are also those who said the ad suggests GDBet333 may already have many Muslim clients. – The Vibes, April 15, 2021
