Bali, Indonesia: The Dark Side Of Tourism Exposed In Illegal Cockfighting And Animal Cruelty Spectacles

Published on September 7, 2025

Bali is still 1 of nan astir celebrated tourer destinations successful Southeast Asia because of its gorgeous beaches, lively culture, and verdant surroundings. However, galore visitors are unaware of nan disturbing reality that lies beneath its serene beauty: forbidden cockfighting events. In summation to being cruel, these shows—which tie some home and overseas tourists—are prohibited by Indonesian law. In these unsettling incidents, roosters are brutally beaten and subjected to unit successful bid to support covert gambling operations.

The Cruelty of Cockfighting successful Bali

At nan halfway of these cockfighting events is an aggravated and convulsive tradition, which pits roosters against each different successful life-or-death battles. These birds are forced to conflict until 1 is either dormant aliases severely injured. Razor-sharp blades are strapped to their legs, making each onslaught deadly. This forced unit serves arsenic intermezo for a crowd, astir of whom are unaware of nan utmost cruelty involved.

The arena organisers and section communities often hide these activities down closed doors, but visitors are often lured successful by cab drivers aliases locals, unaware of nan brutality that awaits. What starts arsenic a emblematic sightseeing acquisition for unsuspecting visitors quickly turns into an engagement pinch an unlawful and inhumane practice.

The Condition of nan Roosters

The curen of nan roosters successful these fights is thing short of horrific. When not successful nan arena, nan roosters are kept successful mini baskets, wherever they are incapable to move freely. These birds are deprived of immoderate earthy behaviour, specified arsenic foraging for food, basking successful nan sun, aliases socialising pinch different animals. Instead, they are subjected to sadistic training regimens. Many roosters are tied to makeshift treadmills and made to tally endlessly successful circles, often pinch weights attached to their legs. This process is meant to build up their muscles and make them much fierce fighters.

The animals’ lives are filled pinch fearfulness and suffering. Even aft surviving these sadistic training routines, their fates are sealed successful nan fighting ring. Many of nan roosters are truthful traumatised that they struggle to enactment live agelong capable to fight. Those that past nan conflict are near pinch terrible injuries, galore of which beryllium fatal. In immoderate cases, they are trapped nether mini baskets pinch nan different roosters until 1 of them succumbs to nan wounds inflicted by nan fight.

The Role of Illegal Gambling

Gambling plays a cardinal domiciled successful nan continuation of these cockfighting events. The forbidden gambling facet not only fuels nan unit but besides makes these events lucrative for nan organisers. Tourists, particularly those seeking a section taste experience, whitethorn unknowingly lend to this forbidden industry. Once nan fights begin, ample sums of money speech hands arsenic bets are placed connected nan outcome. The authorities of Indonesia has strict laws prohibiting gambling, pinch terrible penalties outlined successful Article 303 of nan Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), which includes up to 10 years of imprisonment and dense fines for those caught participating successful aliases organising forbidden gambling activities.

However, contempt these ineligible restrictions, nan believe persists, fuelled by nan underground gambling civilization and nan willingness of definite individuals to bypass nan law. Some unscrupulous cab drivers moreover beforehand these events to tourists, further embedding nan forbidden activity successful Bali’s tourism industry.

Ethical Concerns and Tourist Responsibility

As Bali continues to pull millions of world visitors each year, it’s basal to admit nan ethical work of travellers. The rising consciousness of animal authorities crossed nan globe has made it clear that visitors play a important domiciled successful supporting aliases condemning specified practices. For Bali to support its position arsenic a starring tourer destination, nan promotion and information successful forbidden cockfighting must travel to an end.

Tourists are urged to beryllium vigilant erstwhile selecting experiences during their enactment successful Bali. It is captious to activity retired ethical and responsible tourism opportunities that do not impact nan exploitation aliases harm of animals. By supporting ethical businesses and activities, travellers tin thief put an extremity to nan forbidden cockfighting manufacture that taints nan island’s reputation.

Indonesian Law and Government Efforts

The Indonesian authorities has made strides successful nan conflict against forbidden gambling and animal cruelty, but enforcement remains a important challenge. Article 303 of nan Indonesian Criminal Code intelligibly states that immoderate shape of gambling, including cockfighting, is simply a punishable crime. Despite these efforts, forbidden gambling operations proceed to flourish successful distant areas of Bali, often hidden from nan nationalist eye. Local authorities are moving difficult to combat this issue, but nan support of some locals and visitors is needed to make meaningful progress.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has taken steps to reside this issue, including raising consciousness astir responsible tourism and nan value of animal welfare. However, nan occurrence of these initiatives will dangle connected corporate action from some nan authorities and nan world community.

The Future of Bali’s Tourism Industry

For Bali to stay a sustainable and responsible tourism destination, a concerted effort must beryllium made to destruct forbidden activities specified arsenic cockfighting. Tourism authorities successful Bali are opening to recognise nan value of ethical tourism practices, and galore are shifting toward promoting experiences that prioritise wildlife conservation and animal welfare.

Efforts to combat forbidden gambling and cruelty to animals must see amended enforcement of existing laws, accrued acquisition for some locals and tourists, and stronger collaboration betwixt tourism stakeholders and animal authorities organisations. As much group go alert of these practices, it is hoped that nan request for specified sadistic spectacles will diminish, allowing Bali to thrive arsenic a destination known for its earthy beauty, rich | culture, and committedness to ethical tourism.

A Call for Change

Being 1 of nan astir celebrated recreation destinations successful nan world, Bali comes pinch responsibilities and difficulties. Even though nan land still provides a wealthiness of astonishing experiences, it’s captious to reside nan antagonistic aspects of tourism, specified arsenic nan unethical and forbidden cockfighting industry. Locals and visitors tin cooperate to make judge Bali continues to beryllium a destination of happiness, beauty, and compassion for each surviving things by spreading awareness, abiding by section laws, and encouraging ethical tourism.