By: Hana Widya Saraswati
Online gambling or often called “judol,” is one of the major challenges in the era of rapidly developing technology. This phenomenon not only has an impact on the economic aspect, but also raises various social problems, such as increasing crime rates and cases of attempted suicide due to financial losses. In this context, the Indonesian government has shown a strong commitment to eradicating this illegal activity through various policies and concrete steps.
Based on data disclosed in a press conference by the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Budi Gunawan, the number of online gambling transactions in Indonesia throughout 2024 reached IDR 900 trillion. This fact shows how massive the circulation of money in the illegal industry is. In fact, the number of online gambling players is estimated to reach 8.8 million people, with the majority of perpetrators coming from the lower middle economic class. This situation is a serious challenge that requires a quick and integrated response from various parties.
Social media, especially platforms managed by the Meta company, have become the main channel for the distribution of online gambling advertisements. These advertisements are often inserted into short videos that attract users’ attention, so that without realizing it, they become the target of the advertising campaign. Social media algorithms only need three seconds of interaction to group users as target audiences. This makes online gambling advertisements very difficult for the general public to avoid.
A content creator, Sepihara, explained that online gambling organizers no longer need influencers or endorsements to promote their services. They simply edit existing videos and utilize social media algorithms to run massive ads. In this way, exposure to online gambling ads becomes very broad, especially among the younger generation.
In response to this problem, the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has taken various steps to block content related to online gambling. Acting Director General of Public Communication and Media, Molly Prabawaty, said that from 2017 to early 2025, 5.5 million online gambling content had been successfully blocked. In just the first few days of 2025, more than 43,000 content, accounts, and sites have been prosecuted. In accordance with the direction of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid, it is important for us to protect the younger generation from online gambling content, illegal online loans, and other negative content in the digital space.
Kemkomdigi also appealed to the public to actively report judol content through the official website www.aduankonten.id. Public participation is considered important to support government efforts in eradicating online gambling. With active community involvement, it is hoped that the spread of negative content can be suppressed more effectively.
The steps taken by the government are not only limited to blocking content. The government also continues to strive to improve the digital literacy of the community so that they are better able to recognize and avoid online gambling advertising traps. In this context, some simple steps that the community can take include using the block and report features on every suspicious advertisement, setting ad preferences on social media platforms, and changing regional locations to avoid exposure to the same advertisements.
However, these steps will not be optimal without close cooperation between the government, social media platforms, and the public. Social media platforms need to be more proactive in identifying and removing online gambling ads. On the other hand, the public must also be more aware of the modus operandi used by online gambling organizers, such as inserting ads into seemingly harmless content.
The Indonesian government deserves appreciation for its commitment to facing this major challenge. Efforts to eradicate online gambling reflect serious attention to the social impacts caused by this illegal activity. Steps such as blocking millions of online gambling content and involving the community in monitoring digital content show that the government is not only relying on policy, but also encouraging active community participation as part of the solution.
In addition, the government’s efforts are also part of a broader agenda in creating a healthy and safe digital space. By protecting the younger generation from exposure to negative content, the government is contributing to building a better future for the nation. If these steps continue to be strengthened, it is hoped that the online gambling phenomenon can be minimized significantly, so that its negative impact on society can be suppressed.
In this challenging digital era, the Indonesian government has proven that with hard work and good collaboration, any problem can be overcome. Eradicating online gambling is not only about protecting society from financial losses, but also about maintaining the social and moral integrity of the nation. Therefore, this government effort deserves full support from all elements of society.
*) Social Policy Observer – Madani Institute Social Institution
