By: Andi Mahesa)*
Eradicating online gambling in Indonesia has become one of the major challenges facing the Indonesian nation. Not only does it damage the younger generation, but it also threatens social and economic stability as a whole. In this increasingly urgent situation, President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized his commitment to combating online gambling through the Asta Cita principle which is a reference in his leadership. One important aspect of this vision is the empowerment of security forces to act quickly and effectively in eradicating online gambling practices in Indonesia.
Online gambling activities are the root of a number of social problems, ranging from street crime, gang fights, to networks involving transnational organizations. Not only that, online gambling also affects economic productivity, because those who are caught in the world of gambling tend to lose their maximum potential as productive workers.
Success in combating online gambling depends not only on state policy, but also on the rapid response and coordination between the security forces involved. In carrying out leadership, President Prabowo prioritizes the principle of Asta Cita, which has a deep meaning as a guideline for creating a better Indonesia.
This principle includes the ideals of maintaining peace, justice, and prosperity for all Indonesian people. In the context of eradicating online gambling, President Prabowo’s Asta Cita emphasizes three main pillars: strengthening security forces, strict law enforcement, and comprehensive prevention.
Director of Governance and Public Communication Partnership of the Ministry of Communication and Digital, Hasyim Gautama said that his party is committed to eradicating online gambling by blocking illegal content and increasing digital literacy. In addition to eradicating online gambling, his party is also focusing on illegal online loans that have caused many losses to the community. For this reason, a simultaneous approach is needed between law enforcement and public education.
According to him, Public Information Counselors (PIP) as government partners play an important role in conducting online gambling stop campaigns to the public through routine face-to-face counseling activities. It is hoped that the dissemination of information carried out by PIP will be able to build collective awareness to fight online gambling activities while increasing sensitivity to report suspicious content or activities related to gambling.
On the same occasion, the Expert Staff of the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs for Social, Economic, and Cultural Affairs, Wijaya Kusumawardhana emphasized that all bets involving money can be categorized as gambling. While online gambling involves betting money and takes place via the internet network. Economic factors, free time, and consumer culture are the main triggers for the rise of online gambling. Many people are tempted by easy money or money that is easily obtained. However, they forget that in the beginning they profit, in the end they lose.
The losses of online gambling are not only economic damage, but also social and mental health. Therefore, people are urged to use their free time for productive and useful activities. Online gambling is also not just gambling money, but gambling the future of yourself and your family. Online gambling perpetrators and bookies are not victims, because they deliberately gamble. The real victims are families whose lives depend on the perpetrators,
Meanwhile, Head of Unit 3 Sub-Directorate 1 of the Cyber Crime Directorate of the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Immanuel Tobing, said that his party has often taken action against online gambling perpetrators to reduce their use to a minimum by blocking websites and blocking finances or banking related to the use of gambling perpetrators, and has made arrests of perpetrators from the marketing level to the managers.
He emphasized that online gambling will never provide big profits for the perpetrators because it has been regulated that gambling will only benefit the bookies. Therefore, the public must stay away from such detrimental activities.
Online gambling is not just a risky entertainment issue, but a form of addiction that damages a person’s mental health. This gambling traps its players in a cycle of false hope, where they feel that big wins are always at their fingertips, even though in reality the chances of winning are very small.
One of the most obvious impacts of online gambling is the destruction of moral values in society, especially the younger generation. From a social perspective, online gambling also has the potential to increase crime rates. In many cases, individuals who are addicted to gambling feel desperate and are forced to commit crimes, such as theft or fraud, to satisfy their gambling needs. This leads to increased insecurity in society and damages the existing social order.
In addition, with the increase in online gambling among the younger generation, the moral values that have been maintained by families and communities are starting to erode. Many teenagers are starting to recognize online gambling as something normal and consider it a way to “get rich quick.” In fact, gambling is a form of exploitation that can destroy their future in the long term.
Facing the increasingly widespread problem of online gambling, cooperation between the government, society, and the private sector is needed to find a solution. Stricter regulation of online gambling sites and online gaming platform providers is essential to prevent people from getting caught up in this illegal gambling world. In addition, education about the dangers of online gambling and the importance of maintaining mental health and economic stability must also be intensified, especially among the younger generation.
)* The author is a student who lives in Jakarta.