Indonesia Declares That Claw Machines Are Haram as it is The Same as Gambling

What appears to be a simple game to play where you test your luck in hopes of winning a prize has now been declared as haram in Indonesia.

Unfortunately for Indonesians, they will no longer be able to test their luck on claw machines filled with plushies and other items after the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) declared claw machines as haram in Islam.

According to the Head of Fatwa MUI Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh, claw machines are in violation of Islamic teachings as one has to ‘try his luck’ in getting a prize.

He added that claw machines are a form of gambling as it is often rigged and doesn’t even guarantee that one would gain anything of in return for the money spent on it.

“The fatwa related to the matter has been included in the guidelines for media games or gaming machines managed by the Indonesian recreation agency,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Head of Muhammadiyah Central Leadership, Anwar Abbas said that the game is categorised as gambling because the original value is not the same as the money the user spends to get the prize.

“It’s different when we make a purchase directly with the seller to get the items we want.”

“Through the machine, we have to exchange tokens according to the set value and may have to try several times to get the item, then there is an element of gambling that makes it illegal,” he explained.

In Malaysia, the question is now whether or not we would adapt a similar stance as the sentiment by Indonesia’s MUI was actually previously echoed by the Perlis State Mufti Department, who issued a fatwa forbidding Muslims in the state to use claw machines.

What do you think of the decision?

Also read: Perlis Mufti Fatwa: Claw Machines Are A Form Of Gambling