Football Club Sponsor Gambling House Report Rejected By Bareskrim

Akmal Marhali, coordinator of Save Our Soccer (SOS) gave a statement to reporters after a police report related to the football club's sponsorship gambling house was rejected by Bareskrim Polri, Jakarta, Wednesday (12/7/2023). (ANTARA/Laily Rahmawaty)

JAKARTA - Former member of the Football Mafia Task Force, Akmal Marhali, reported allegations of gambling crimes in the form of gambling houses as sponsors of football clubs, rejected by the Criminal Investigation Police.

Akmal Marhali said the reason investigators rejected his report was because it had been handled by the Police Football Mafia Task Force.

"The problem today is that my report was not accepted on the grounds that he said this case had been handled by the Football Mafia Task Force," said Akmal as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 12.

Akmal is concerned about the involvement of gambling houses as sponsors of football clubs playing in the Indonesian League.

Based on his observations, Liga 1 weekend matches have nine matches, nine of which have advertisements for SBOTOP gambling houses plastered on the small screen.

Then on the evening of prime time from 19.00 to 21.00 WIB, during Persita's match against PSIS Semarang at the Indomilk Arena Stadium, there were also SBOTOP advertisements.

Sunday (9/7), continued Akmal, the Madura United match against Persikandidi also had an SBOTOP advertisement that aired electronic e-boot at the stadium.

"This is troubling the community. Why, because until now the gambling house and its descent have been banned in Indonesia. Our country has never legalized gambling houses," he said.

Akmal, who is the coordinator of Save Our Soccer (SOS), revealed that what he reported today was to strengthen what his party had reported on August 22, 2022.

"Our report in 2022 is that there are three football clubs that sponsor a gambling house, first Arema with Bola88.Fun, then PSIS with Score88.news and Persikabo with SBOTOP," said Akmal, who is also a member of Indonesia Police Watch (IPW).

In this report, SOS reported three parties, namely the 1973 Persikabo Football Club, PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB) and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

The material for the report is related to allegations of gambling under Article 303 of the Criminal Code, money laundering, and criminal acts in the field of transactions and electronic information.

The report, said Akmal, is also based, because in PSSI regulations, through a circular letter to all clubs, both League 1, 2, and 3 with No. 103 states that Indonesian League participants are prohibited from collaborating commercially with three products, namely cigarettes, drinking alcohol and gambling houses.

"Because this is prohibited by law," said Akmal.

Separately, police observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) Bambang Rukminto has indicated that online gambling sites are now booming, and the police have never arrested their bookies.

Three sponsored football clubs suspected of being gambling houses claiming to be news portals are suspected whether they have been verified by the Press Council or not.

The latest Arema jersey sponsored by Legion Nutrition, is in the form of supplement drinks.

"Legion is like a supplementary drink, I suspect it's for its launch (money laundering, ed)," said Bambang.

Bambang said the supplementary beverage product was not in the market but paid attention to the football club.

"If you want to catch up through there, how much is the sponsor's value? How much turnover and taxes have been paid," said Bambang.