The Parliamentary Human Rights Committee in Iraq warned yesterday, Saturday, about the dangers of the phenomenon of gambling halls within homes in Baghdad and some provinces, indicating the "collusion" of some security elements. Committee member Hussein Mardan, in a statement to "Baghdad Today," stated that "the spread of gambling halls in homes is a real threat to Iraqi society," urging "security forces to take their real role in curbing this phenomenon." The Parliamentary Human Rights Committee denied the existence of any real political or party protection for these halls as some claim.
The Ministry of Interior had revealed a new strategy to eliminate gambling halls in all provinces, highlighting their dangers in three areas affecting community segments. Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Muqdad Al-Moussawi told "Baghdad Today" that "the ministry relies on an important strategy to end gambling halls in all Iraqi provinces and has already carried out a series of successful operations that led to the discovery of most of them and the arrest of many involved." He noted that "operations are ongoing through intelligence monitoring and community cooperation."
He pointed out that "the elimination of gambling halls is part of the Ministry's strategy because they are illegal and pose a danger in three aspects regarding their negative impact on adolescents and youth, inciting crime, in addition to other consequences." He mentioned that "the recent operation to seize a gambling hall in Baquba two days ago is part of the ministry's continuous operations," assuring that "no area will be excluded, and we will ensure their complete eradication according to legal instructions." Earlier, the Diyala Police Command announced the arrest of several violators and the closure of a "gambling casino" in the province.
