By: Arsenio Bagas Pamungkas)*
The Indonesian government continues to demonstrate its commitment to eradicating online gambling practices that are increasingly rampant in the digital era. This is because online gambling has become a serious threat to public morality, the stability of the financial system, and social welfare in general. Various steps have been taken, both through regulation, strict supervision, and education to the public to break the chain of this illegal activity.
Vigilance against online gambling cannot be ignored because of its detrimental impact on society. As is known, online gambling can trigger addiction that leads to financial and social problems. Moreover, gambling addiction can result in loss of self-control and create a large economic burden for families, by increasing the risk of debt and bankruptcy. The psychological impact is also significant, such as depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. In addition, online gambling often involves illegal practices, such as money laundering and fraud, which damage social stability.
In this regard, the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) is at the forefront of this effort. Acting Director General of Public Communication and Media of Kemkomdigi, Molly Prabawati, explained that until December 17, 2024, her party had taken action against more than 5.4 million contents related to online gambling since 2017. This action includes sites, social media accounts, and applications affiliated with the practice.
In the period of 1–17 December 2024 alone, Kemkomdigi managed to delete more than 122,000 contents suspected of promoting online gambling. This action was carried out through reports from the public, related institutions, and active cyber patrols. Molly also said that during the period of 20 October to 17 December 2024, more than 560,000 online gambling contents had been blocked. The contents include sites, IPs, and accounts on various social media platforms, such as Meta, Google, YouTube, X, Telegram, and TikTok.
This firm action also includes blocking social media accounts with large numbers of followers that are used to promote online gambling. Some of them are the accounts @prabusports.ofc, @asupan.goyang, and @zona_karaoke, each of which has hundreds of thousands of followers. Molly emphasized that this action was taken to protect the public from the negative impacts of online gambling which is not only financially detrimental but also disrupts social stability.
Kemkomdigi also warned the public about the mode often used by online gambling syndicates, namely the recruitment of account collectors. These collectors act as intermediaries to disguise illegal transactions. Molly added that this mode is often used for money laundering or other illegal transactions. Therefore, the public is advised to be careful of suspicious job or collaboration offers.
Support for the eradication of online gambling also came from the Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal. He appreciated the active role of the community in fighting online gambling. According to him, the negative impacts of online gambling are very clear, especially in the financial system and public welfare. He said that this practice has damaged the economic and social order of society.
Cucun also highlighted the high number of online gambling perpetrators in West Java, based on digital data from Kemkomdigi. He encouraged the public to report suspicious activities related to online gambling or illegal online loans. According to him, socialization on how to report such activities is very important, and he appreciates the steps of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in providing education to the public.
In addition to the government and parliament, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is also active in combating online gambling. The General Chairman of MUI, KH Anwar Iskandar, highlighted the importance of a moral and spiritual approach in overcoming this problem. He explained that one of the main impacts of online gambling is increasing poverty due to financial losses experienced by the perpetrators.
According to Kiai Anwar, weak morality is a major challenge in eradicating online gambling. He emphasized that even though online gambling accounts have been closed and perpetrators have been prosecuted by authorities, if the mentality of society has not changed, then this practice will continue. Therefore, he proposed a more comprehensive approach, including moral and religious education, to prevent society from falling further.
This joint commitment between the government, parliament, and religious figures shows that eradicating online gambling is not just the responsibility of one party, but requires collaboration from all elements of society. With strong support, this effort is expected to have a significant impact in creating an environment free from the threat of online gambling.
However, the challenges in this effort remain large. The government must face the ongoing adaptation of technology by online gambling syndicates, as well as ensure that law enforcement measures can be effective. In this context, the role of the community is very important. Collective awareness not to engage in online gambling activities and to report indications of such practices can be a very significant preventive step.
With the various firm steps that have been taken, the government has shown its seriousness in protecting the public from the dangers of online gambling. Collaboration with parliament, religious leaders, and the wider community is the key to success in this effort. It is hoped that this joint commitment can bring real change and create a healthier, safer, and more dignified digital space.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute