Gambling operations have resumed in villages controlled by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) in Kyaikmaraw Township, Mon State, with armed DKBA personnel providing security, according to local sources.
Local armed groups and business operators have reopened gambling sites that were previously suspended in late 2025 in villages including Myakone, Utochaung, and Mwayhauk. The operations are reportedly being moved between villages on a rotating basis.
A resident from Kyaikmaraw said the gambling sites are run by business operators with ties to the DKBA and the Border Guard Force (BGF), with DKBA soldiers providing security in full military uniform.
“Gambling has started again. It’s now operating like before, rotating between those three villages. In other villages, monks and residents do not support reopening, so they are not allowed to operate there. There are no festivals—they just rent a performance troupe for several days and move from one village to another,” the resident said.
A young resident from Kaw Dun, Kawtpanaw village said that when gambling operations were active last year, thefts of household items and agricultural produce increased, along with a noticeable rise in domestic violence.
Residents expressed concern that these problems may return following the reopening of gambling activities.
“Last year, three motorbikes were stolen in a single night in our village. Luckily, the thieves were caught. We had never seen that before. At first it seemed entertaining, but over time it brought many problems,” the youth said.
Sources said that business operators collect taxes from the gambling operations, while DKBA personnel also receive income from vendors and motorbike users within the gambling sites.
Since 2023, gambling operations have been introduced in many townships across Mon State under the pretext of local festivals to generate revenue for groups aligned with the military junta. Over time, local armed groups affiliated with the junta have also taken leading roles in organizing these activities.
Residents living near the gambling sites said the operations have caused disturbances and negatively affected their health, prompting some to relocate their homes.
