Friday August 30, 2024
FILE - Somalia Police Commander Moalim Mahdi. He is concerned about the growing concerns over government soldiers' involvement in online gambling platforms like 1XBET, which he links to an increase in criminal activities in Mogadishu.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Gambling among government soldiers on platforms like 1XBET is fueling a surge in crime across Mogadishu, raising alarm about its impact on national security," warns Banaadir Regional Police Commander Moalim Mahdi.
Commander Mahdi expressed deep concerns over the growing influence of online gambling on soldiers, linking the use of 1XBET to an increase in criminal activities.
"When soldiers gamble away their salaries and even their weapons, they often turn to crimes such as mobile phone theft, and in some extreme cases, they have even resorted to murder when civilians refuse to hand over their phones," Mahdi said.
The Somali federal government has grappled with the broader societal impact of platforms like 1XBET. On August 20, 2023, the Somali Ministry of Communications and Technology announced a ban on 1XBET, alongside other platforms like TikTok and Telegram, due to their detrimental effects on Somali youth and concerns about their potential misuse by anti-government groups, including Al-Shabaab. Later that year, the National Anti-Money Laundering & Countering Terrorist Financing Commission (NAMLC) declared a nationwide ban on all gambling activities. The commission found the app exploitative service that violates Somalia's religious beliefs and legal principles. Somalia ordered all financial institutions to cease transactions related to 1XBET, freeze any associated accounts, and report these actions to the Financial Reporting Center (FRC).
The consequences of online gambling and fraud extend beyond government soldiers. Unaware of the risks, many civilians have also fallen victim to platforms like 1XBET. For instance, Abdirahman Sheikh Kalif, a resident of Dharkeynley, sold his tuk-tuk taxi and invested $3,500 in 1XBET, only to lose everything. His financial ruin led him to attempt migration to Saudi Arabia, which ended in deportation, leaving him penniless and highly stressed.