By: Samuel Christian Galal )*
Online gambling or often called judol has become a serious threat to Indonesian society. This practice not only harms individuals, but also destroys the social and economic order of the nation. In facing this threat, the active role of society is the main key to eradicating it.
Without active involvement from the community, the efforts of the government and law enforcement will have difficulty achieving maximum results. Therefore, it is time for all of us, as part of a caring community, to move together to combat the dangers of judol that are increasingly rooted in various levels of society.
Small steps that start from ourselves, such as avoiding clicking on suspicious ads to spreading education in the surrounding environment, can be a meaningful start. It is not enough to rely on the government or law enforcement, the fight against judol requires synergy from various elements, including religious leaders, youth communities, and local governments. When all parties unite, the opportunity to eliminate this practice from people’s lives is greater.
Director of Media Management of the Directorate General of Public Communication and Media of the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi), Nursodik Gunarjo, gave a stern warning about the dangers of clicking on online gambling ads. According to him, this kind of advertisement is not only detrimental in terms of material but also endangers the security of personal data.
Once someone clicks on the ad, the machine algorithm records the user’s data, which can then be used for malicious purposes. Even if the ad is removed, the same pattern will reappear in other forms.
Kemkomdigi itself has taken significant steps by closing more than 5.3 million online gambling accounts since 2017 until the end of 2024. However, this step has not been enough to stop the spread. The problem is that these accounts continue to reappear with new names, controlled remotely by irresponsible parties.
The latest data shows a significant spike in 2024, where the number of accounts closed reached 3.6 million, more than threefold compared to the previous year.
What is more worrying is the impact of online gambling on various age groups. From the available data, the largest number of online gamblers are in the 30-50 age range, with a total of 1.84 million people.
Meanwhile, the age above 50 years old was recorded as many as 1.35 million players, and the age of 21-30 years old was 520 thousand. What is even sadder is the involvement of children under the age of 10 years old, with the number reaching 30 thousand children. This phenomenon is a strong warning for parents to be more vigilant about changes in their children’s behavior.
Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PKB Faction, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, also emphasized the importance of the role of society in combating online gambling. He invited all levels of society to work together to eradicate all forms of gambling, both online and conventional.
According to him, online gambling not only harms individuals but also the social order as a whole. The economic losses due to this practice are enormous, with transaction values reaching Rp360 trillion during the 2023-2024 period.
Cucun highlighted that online gambling is addictive, making it difficult to stop through legal approaches alone. He believes that anti-gambling education and campaigns must start from the smallest environment, such as the family, and involve the wider community. In his efforts, he even proposed that preachers, kiai, and ajengan also voice the dangers of online gambling through various religious assemblies.
He also called on the government to show a strong political will in eradicating this problem, as Indonesia had succeeded in stopping the social donation system with prizes (SDSB) in the past.
Not only the central government, local governments (Pemda) are also expected to play an active role in handling this problem. Member of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Indrajaya, emphasized that local governments must work together with law enforcement officers, the TNI, and community organizations to overcome the rampant online gambling.
He also suggested that young people be involved in the anti-online gambling campaign, considering that most of the perpetrators are in the teenage to young adult age range. The involvement of the youth community and influencers is considered effective in voicing educational messages that are relevant to their generation.
An integrated approach involving all parties is very necessary considering the social impacts caused by online gambling. These impacts include divorce, domestic violence (KDRT), increasing crime rates, and overall social vulnerability. If not handled seriously, this can be a threat to social stability and national security.
In this situation, the active role of the community is very important. The community is not only expected to be a recipient of information, but also an active actor in the campaign and real action against online gambling. By starting from the smallest environment, the community can be the front guard in preventing the spread and negative impacts of this practice.
Therefore, let’s fight online gambling together. Start from yourself, your family, and your surroundings. With determination and collective action, we can protect future generations from this destructive threat. The fight against online gambling is not only the task of the government or law enforcement, but a shared responsibility for a better future for Indonesia.
)* Contributor to the Indomedia Gala Institute