Jakarta — The government continues to strengthen efforts to eradicate online gambling practices that have infiltrated government circles. This step has been praised by various parties, including cyber law experts and government figures, as an important step towards a clean government free from illegal activities.
Cyber Law Expert from the University of Indonesia, Intan Pratama, stated that the government’s openness in exposing online gambling practices within the government’s internal environment is very important. “The government’s steps in exposing online gambling practices within the government’s internal environment should be appreciated. This transparency is important so that the public understands the government’s commitment to taking firm action against violations of the law,” he said.
Furthermore, Intan emphasized the need to strengthen legal sanctions in order to provide a deterrent effect for all state apparatus. “The government needs to continue to strengthen legal sanctions so that they can be a clear warning for all state apparatus, so that a clean government is created that is free from illegal activities,” she added.
A series of arrests of government employees involved in online gambling practices are also considered as evidence of the government’s seriousness in cleaning institutions from illegal activities. “The arrests of a number of employees show the government’s seriousness in cleaning institutions from practices that are not in accordance with the rules. This is a positive step that needs to be supported by all parties,” said Intan.
Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, revealed that President Prabowo Subianto’s stance is very firm in cracking down on online gambling practices. She explained that the President asked all law enforcement agencies, including the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office, to work together in eradicating this without any tolerance. “There must be no backing. This is his language, ‘there must be no backing, helping or whatever’,” Meutya emphasized, quoting the President’s message.
President Prabowo also expressed his concern regarding the impact of online gambling that is detrimental to society, especially those in the lower economic class. According to the President, if online gambling can be eradicated together, this will have a positive impact on people’s purchasing power and help increase economic growth.
Meanwhile, Andy Nugroho from Advisors Alliance Group Indonesia also gave his view that online gambling is not only financially detrimental, but also has the potential to trigger criminal acts in society. “Online gambling not only destroys finances, but also has the potential to give rise to the seeds of crime,” explained Andy.
In 2024, the value of online gambling transactions will be even more than just head-shaking. While only in the first three months of 2024, the value even exceeded the full year of 2023. PPATK noted that online gambling transactions from January to March had reached IDR 600 trillion.