Eradicating Online Gambling from Upstream to Downstream, Government Develops National Strategy for Digital Space Protection
JAKARTA — The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), continues to strengthen concrete measures to combat online gambling practices, which have now evolved into a cross-sectoral issue threatening the nation’s social and economic resilience.
Online gambling is not merely a matter of legal violation but also poses a serious threat to the moral, financial, and digital security of society. Therefore, the government is committed to addressing it systematically through a comprehensive national strategy involving multiple ministries and state institutions.
The government is currently drafting national policy recommendations that will serve as the foundation for a long-term strategy in digital law enforcement. This initiative is expected to guide new policy directions aimed at strengthening national cyber resilience while ensuring that Indonesia’s digital space remains free from harmful and illegal activities.
Director General of Digital Space Oversight Alexander Sabar explained that Komdigi is actively gathering input from various stakeholders through public discussion forums involving ministries, institutions, and regional governments.
“Today’s forum holds strategic importance—not only for sharing perspectives but also for providing constructive and comprehensive input from ministries, agencies, regional governments, and the public,” said Alexander.
According to him, a collaborative approach is key to success, as the issue of online gambling cannot be resolved through sectoral efforts alone but requires strong cross-sector synergy.
Alexander added that Komdigi has handled more than 2.4 million pieces of online gambling-related content from October 2024 to early November 2025. The majority of this content originated from illegally operating websites and IP addresses, while some were found on social media platforms such as Meta, YouTube, and Telegram.
Meanwhile, data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) shows significant progress. The total value of online gambling transactions from January to October 2025 dropped sharply to Rp155 trillion, down from Rp359 trillion the previous year.
This figure reflects the effectiveness of the government’s law enforcement and large-scale blocking policies carried out in collaboration with relevant institutions.
Furthermore, Alexander emphasized that eradicating online gambling should not rely solely on technological measures but also requires strong moral and social support from all elements of society.
Thus, the national strategy currently being formulated will not only focus on legal and technological aspects but also on the social and cultural dimensions of the Indonesian nation.
