Jakartans get into the gambling habit

Jakartans get into the gambling habit

JAKARTA (JP): The 472nd anniversary of the capital this year
is also marked with the growing number of gambling operators
scattered throughout the corners of the city.

Gambling is illegal in this country, but a popular trend is
called judi buntut, togel, or toto gelap, which is a bet
based on four numbers released every two or three days by dozens
of gambling operators.

Togel has been popular among Jakartans particularly since city
authorities and residents have been busy with the reform movement
and the recent general election.

"Winning togel is my only dream at the moment. Many of my
friends, including my boss and his wife, also have the same
dream," a shop attendant at a car accessory shop at Pasar Mobil
Kemayoran in Central Jakarta told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

The capital is going to celebrate its 472nd anniversary on
Tuesday.

Offering a huge cash prize for winners, togel has captured the
hopes of many less fortunate people who are badly affected by the
economic crisis.

Jakarta's administration and citizens who used to jointly
oppose any gambling operations in the capital might have been too
busy waiting for the final results of the poll and figures to see
who is elected to lead the country.

As a result, the number of togel gambling operators -- under
the support of officials and certain media -- has shown a
significant growth in the past few months.

Although there are no official figures of the total amount of
money flowing to businessmen from poor Jakartans, it's estimated
that it reached billions of rupiah per week.

This amount excludes money spent by gamblers from outside
Jakarta.

Previously, such betting was not as popular due to tight
monitoring from authorities as well as the public.

For all

Gambling was only played by certain people, particularly the
rich, through special mediums, such as international football
games on television, at horse races in Singapore or at tightly
secured dens.

Gambling now involves penniless people and takes place
secretly at certain sites of Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, and
Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

Gambling operators take advantage of the reform movement,
where everything, including gambling, could be simply labeled as
legal business.

Most don't care about the people who struggle hard to get
money only to buy togel and dream about winning.

People playing togel are mostly those who earn a small amount
of money.

For example, one can easily see soldiers deployed at the House
of Representatives (DPR) complex, putting money in to gamble.

Street vendors, hookers and parking attendants are no
different.

Djoko, a parking attendant at Blok M area in South Jakarta on
Sunday appeals to passersby at the Kebayoran Lama market in South
Jakarta to buy his wristwatch so he can join another round of
gambling.

"I have lost Rp 100,000 and my money has already run out,"
Djoko told the Post.

Top issue

At many morning markets in and around the capital, the first
topic of the day for traders are the results of togel numbers
announced a few hours earlier.

Togel, whose results are routinely displayed in Sinar Pagi
daily, has simple rules.

Those who correctly guess the last two of the four winning
numbers announced by the operators are paid 60 times what they
bet.

Those who match all four winning numbers receive 2,500 times
what they bet.

It is not known how the operators select the winning numbers.

Most togel operators have agents across the city. An agent
usually works for more than one operator.

Selected agents are mostly shop owners who run businesses in
densely populated areas.

The agents simply sit at a desk with a pen and paper. Most
also offer receipts and a "guideline" book from soothsayers from
which they might translate numerical meanings of someone's dream,
for example.

Unlike the past few years, these agents run their business
openly as if gambling is already legal in this country.

The announcement of the results is also easily learned from
the media.

Sinar Pagi, for example, is used by at least 36 togel
operators to announce results in a 5 cm by 4 cm advertisement.

Most togel operators are located on the first and second
floors of Senen Inpres market in Central Jakarta.

The Post was offered a Rp 5,000 note by one operator who
thought the reporter was security personnel.

"The operators usually give envelopes containing money of
varying amounts to visiting security personnel in an attempt to
bribe the officers so that the latter won't raid the gambling
dens," said Djoko, who tried forcing the Post to buy his
wristwatch. (asa/bsr)