Indonesia’s Islamic leaders strongly reject proposal legalizing casinos for revenue

Indonesia’s top Islamic body, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), has come out strongly against a recent proposal to legalize casinos as a way to increase state revenue.

The idea was put forward by Galih Kartasasmita, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Golkar Party. During a meeting with the Ministry of Finance’s budget office on Monday (May 12), he suggested that Indonesia could look to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an example and open casinos to boost non-tax revenue.

However, Cholil Nafis, who leads the council’s Da’wah and Brotherhood division, made it clear they strongly oppose the move. He pointed out that gambling is not only illegal in Indonesia but also goes against the country’s moral values and social norms.

Jgn berpikir melegalkan perjudian utk menambah pendapatan negara. Mari berupaya dari maksimalisasi eksplorasi alam. Selain perjudian bertentangan dg UU juga menentang dg norma masyarakat. Negara yg membuka perjudian buka dalil utk melegalkan di Indonesiahttps://t.co/VDWObqCOVx

— cholil nafis (@cholilnafis) May 12, 2025

Nafis posted on his X account (translated to English): “Don’t think of legalizing [gambling] to increase state revenue. Let’s work on maximizing natural resource exploration. Besides being against the law, gambling also goes against societal norms.”

He added that using the UAE or any other country as a precedent for legalizing gambling in Indonesia is unacceptable.

“Let’s find a good and lawful way to generate state revenue so that Indonesia may be full of blessings,” he wrote.

According to BI TV Online, MUI Deputy Chairman Anwar Abbas also called the proposal both shocking and completely off the mark. He said that legalizing gambling in a country where the majority of people are Muslim goes against religious values and the core principles laid out in the constitution and Indonesia’s national philosophy, Pancasila. He also stressed that it involves protecting the country’s moral and cultural identity.

“If the state allows gambling to flourish, it means the state is also contributing to the destruction of its people’s morals and identity,” said Anwar.

He also reminded the public that even the government has admitted in a past statement about online gambling that it can cause financial troubles, mental health issues, and social problems.

Kartasasmita argued that Indonesia and the UAE have similar economic foundations, with both countries relying heavily on natural resources to fund their governments. However, his proposal has sparked backlash from many sides, especially from religious leaders and conservative groups who see it as deeply inappropriate.

Featured image: Indonesian Ulema Council

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