By: Kenzo Malik )*
Online gambling is no longer just a moral issue, but has become a serious threat to the nation’s social and economic resilience. In recent times, the government has begun to pay greater attention to this digital gambling practice, realizing that its impact is much broader than just individual financial losses. Online gambling is now referred to as one of the causes of the emergence of a new wave of poverty, especially in vulnerable groups in society.
The Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, said that online gambling has become a cause of increasing latent poverty. He described that poverty caused by online gambling practices is now a new phenomenon that must be watched out for. Furthermore, he emphasized that this activity is not only unproductive, but also traps people in a cycle of loss and despair.
Of course, this statement contains an important message that poverty is not only born from minimal access to economic resources, but also from wrong consumption patterns and behavior. Online gambling is a concrete example of how dependence on games of chance can destroy household stability, even plunging the younger generation into a cycle of uncertainty.
We cannot turn a blind eye to this reality. People, especially those from the lower economic classes, are often tempted by the lure of instant victory. In practice, they actually experience repeated losses without ever really getting the promised results.
Even sadder, most of them realize that the chances of winning are very small, but remain trapped because of the addictive nature of the game. As Coordinating Minister Muhaimin said, many online gamblers continue to play even though they are aware that the results will be zero. This confirms that online gambling is not only digital fraud, but also psychological exploitation.
In a broader context, the rise of online gambling shows the weak awareness of the community towards. When the virtual world is developing so rapidly, not all parties are ready with a capable control system. Online gambling thrives because of the absence of filters and minimal public education in dealing with high-risk content. This is a major challenge for the country, especially in efforts to empower society as a whole.
However, concrete steps have been taken. The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) noted that it has blocked more than 1.3 million contents related to online gambling, since the new government took office in October 2024 to April 2025. This data includes more than one million gambling sites and thousands of gambling contents circulating through social media. Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, said that the data reflects how great the threat of online gambling is to the order of the national digital space.
In this case, it is interesting to observe Komdigi’s approach which implements a time-based monitoring system. Digital platforms are now required to follow up on high-risk content such as gambling within a maximum of four hours. Meanwhile, for other negative content, the handling time limit is 24 hours. This marks a new era in digital space management, where speed and decisiveness are the main keys.
It doesn’t stop there, Komdigi has also issued special regulations that focus on protecting children in the digital world. The Government Regulation on the Governance of the Implementation of Electronic Systems in the Protection of Children in the Digital Space is here to emphasize the state’s commitment to protecting the younger generation from exposure to damaging content. Online gambling, in this context, is very relevant because many children and adolescents are targeted by hidden advertisements and misleading gamification content.
All of these policies underline one important thing, namely that building a safe digital space is not only the responsibility of the state. The government is indeed at the forefront of policy making and law enforcement, but its effectiveness depends on the involvement of all parties. The world of education, social institutions, religious figures, and even the philanthropic sector, have a vital role in building public awareness and digital literacy.
As conveyed by Coordinating Minister Muhaimin, the challenges of our nation are indeed complex. Many problems must be resolved quickly and collaboratively. Therefore, the war on online gambling must be seen as part of a large movement to empower society. A strong and independent society cannot grow on the foundation of illusion and dependence on gambling. What is needed is a digital ecosystem that educates, strengthens, and provides space for the creativity and productivity of the nation’s children to grow.
A cross-sectoral approach is needed that not only emphasizes the blocking or repressive aspects, but also educates andn preventive. The national anti-online gambling campaign must be echoed in schools, communities, and other public spaces. Strong digital literacy will be the first line of defense for the community in selecting information and temptations from cyberspace.
With collective spirit and real steps from various elements of the nation, we can stop the increasingly disturbing spread of online gambling. More than that, we are building a healthy, safe, and people-oriented digital future for Indonesia. The fight against online gambling is not just a matter of morals, but a struggle to protect the quality of life of the community and maintain the nation’s social resilience.
)* The author is a contributor to the Advanced Indonesian Youth Network
