August 10, 2026
Online slot games are spreading rapidly across urban and rural areas in Myanmar. Among them, the “Buffalo Game” is causing massive financial losses and destroying the socio-economic and family lives of residents, an epidemic that has now reached small ethnic Karen villages in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, informed sources told PRM.
Victims of this addiction include villagers living in areas with poor internet connectivity. Players often start gambling with just 1,000 MMK, but as the addiction takes hold and they continue to lose, many end up selling their houses, land, and properties.
A woman in Kawkareik Township lost her entire livelihood to the game. Despite her massive losses, she continues to play and has even persuaded some local youth in her village to try the game.
“She used to sell goods in the villages. Before she started playing, her business was doing well. But once she and her husband started playing, they lost everything. Now, they have had to sell their house and land. I don’t know who encouraged them to play this. The internet connection in the village isn’t even that good, but they still manage to play it,” a Kawkareik local told PRM.
Furthermore, many young people in the villages are heavily addicted to these slot games. When they run out of money to gamble, some have resorted to theft and robbery within their own communities.
“Now, even children are playing this game; many kids in every village are addicted. We try to warn them as best as we can. We tell them these games are bad, that they will ruin their lives, and that they will never win no matter how much they play. But they don’t listen. They actually get angry when we warn them,” another local resident said.
According to individuals working in the slot game industry, these platforms are programmed with precise calculations designed to ensure players lose heavily. Despite the widespread devastation, there is no enforcement of online laws to ban these games, and some famous influencers on social media are even actively promoting them.
