By: Ayu Santika )*
The Indonesian government continues to demonstrate its commitment to eradicating online gambling practices that are increasingly disturbing the community. Law enforcement carried out by the police, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi), shows that online gambling is not only a threat to individuals, but also to the social and economic stability of the country. This effort is not only limited to blocking online gambling content, but also taking firm action against managers of gambling sites that are increasingly rampant in cyberspace.
The Directorate of Cyber Crime (Dittipidsiber) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit has succeeded in dismantling an online gambling network by arresting five suspects who acted as admins on the RGOCasino site. The five suspects who were arrested in Batam on December 5, 2024, were known to offer online gambling games via the WhatsApp messaging application. They were involved in activities that included managing international gambling sites that included various types of games such as poker, lottery, and casinos.
In the disclosure, the police managed to confiscate a number of pieces of evidence, including cash in various currencies, laptops, cellphones, and account books. This arrest continued with the disclosure of the role of another suspect, namely HJ alias Zeus, who is known to control not only the RGOCasino site but also 17 other gambling sites. From the results of the investigation, more than IDR 1.6 billion in cash was found, which is suspected to be the result of online gambling activities. Brigadier General Himawan Bayu Aji, Director of Cyber Crime (Dittipidsiber) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit, said that this arrest was one of the government’s concrete steps to break the online gambling network that had spread internationally.
The follow-up to the arrest involved further investigation into the flow of funds from online gambling sites. This crime not only involves unlawful acts, but can also have implications for money laundering. For this reason, the Ministry of Communication and Digital is collaborating with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to further investigate the potential for money laundering committed by the perpetrators. Himawan firmly emphasized that the government will not remain silent in efforts to eradicate online gambling that harms society and damages the country’s economic order.
On the other hand, the Polda Metro Jaya is also active in eradicating online gambling. On November 28, 2024, the police managed to arrest five perpetrators of an online gambling syndicate operating in Central Java. This arrest succeeded in uncovering the network that managed the Akurasi4D site, which offers various types of illegal gambling games, including slot games and lottery.
In the raid, the police confiscated a number of pieces of evidence such as cellphones, ATM cards, IT equipment, as well as cash and account balances used for gambling transactions. Senior Commissioner of Police Wira Satya Tripura, Director of Criminal Investigation of the Metro Jaya Police, explained that the perpetrators had different roles in the operation of the site, ranging from domain managers to admins who promoted through social media.
The police explained that the five perpetrators were charged with multiple articles, including Article 303 of the Criminal Code concerning gambling, which threatens with imprisonment of up to 10 years, as well as Article 27 paragraph (2) of the ITE Law and Articles in Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering (TPPU).
Head of the Crime and Violence Sub-Directorate (Kasubdit Jatanras) of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Jakarta Metro Police, AKBP Rovan Richard Mahenu, emphasized that investigators are continuing to investigate this network and are committed to taking firm action against all perpetrators involved. The Jakarta Metro Police also appealed to the public not to be tempted by the lure of profits from online gambling which clearly violates the law and can harm individuals and the state.
Efforts to eradicate online gambling are not only limited to taking action against site managers, but also include preventive measures taken by the government. The Ministry of Communication and Digital, for example, has blocked more than 882,000 online gambling-related content found on various digital platforms. This step was taken by collaborating with various digital platforms and opening reporting channels for the public to participate in supervision.
The Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, emphasized that blocking online gambling content is one way to narrow the scope of movement of perpetrators who target the community, including vulnerable groups. In this case, the government is committed to continuing to increase supervision of online gambling activities that damage social order.
In addition, the government is also working with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to strengthen supervision of accounts used for online gambling transactions. Since early January 2025, OJK Malang has blocked 8,500 accounts suspected of being related to online gambling. Head of OJK Malang,
Biger A. Maghribi, explained that monitoring of these accounts is carried out by utilizing Population Identity Number data and conducting Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) to detect potential illegal activities.
These steps demonstrate the government’s commitment to eradicating online gambling, with law enforcement involving not only the police but also various related state institutions. Cooperation between institutions and active community participation are the main keys to overcoming this digital crime. The government is trying to keep the digital ecosystem clean, safe, and responsible. In the future, it is hoped that these eradication efforts will further narrow the space for increasingly disturbing online gambling practices.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesia Emas Forum
