As the year draws to a close, the government is again urging the public to use social assistance (bansos) according to its intended purpose and not to misuse it for online gambling, which is becoming increasingly prevalent. This warning follows increasing findings that a number of social assistance recipients are involved in online gambling through illegal websites targeting vulnerable groups.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, revealed that coordination between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) indicated misuse of aid funds by some recipients. He stated that the number of social assistance recipients identified as participating in online gambling is quite alarming.
“The data we received shows that social assistance recipients from various backgrounds are involved in online gambling,” he said.
Nationally, the government is also monitoring the increase in online gambling activity in various regions. PPATK recorded West Java as the province with the highest number of online gamblers, with total deposit transactions reaching IDR 5 trillion. Some of the perpetrators are known to be social assistance recipients. This finding was conveyed directly by the Director of Analysis and Examination II of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), Shalehuddin Akbar.
“We found online gamblers who were social assistance recipients. We have submitted this data to the Ministry of Social Affairs. There are more than 199,000 players, with total deposits of nearly IDR 300 billion,” he emphasized.
Shalehuddin added that social assistance funds should be used to meet the community’s basic needs, not be gambled away in harmful illegal practices. He warned that misuse of assistance would directly impact the welfare of recipient families.
In response to these findings, the government took strategic steps. Syaiful Garyadi, Assistant Deputy for Data Protection and Electronic Transactions Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, stated that West Java would be designated a pilot province in efforts to eradicate online gambling in Indonesia.
“We, together with the West Java Provincial Government and relevant ministries/institutions, will form an Online Gambling Zero Team. We aim to make West Java an online gambling-free region by 2026,” he said.
The government hopes the public will be more judicious in using social assistance, especially amid the increasing risk of misuse due to the rise of online gambling. Through education, oversight, and cross-agency collaboration, the government is working to ensure that aid is truly used to improve people’s well-being, rather than plunging them into economic hardship.