By: Arman Panggabean
The Indonesian government continues to demonstrate its commitment to eradicating the increasingly worrying practice of online gambling. Through an approach that is not only national in nature, President Prabowo Subianto is now encouraging cross-country cooperation as part of a grand strategy to combat transnational crime, including human trafficking and drug smuggling. This step reflects the government’s seriousness in facing digital threats that are complex and cross-border.
Prabowo’s state visit to Thailand in May 2025 is an important moment in building regional synergy. This is also the first visit by the President of the Republic of Indonesia to Thailand in the last two decades. In his statement at Government House, Bangkok, the President emphasized that Indonesia and Thailand agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of security and defense, especially in dealing with transnational crimes involving digital fraud networks and human trafficking.
The President said that the bilateral meeting was not just a form of diplomacy, but a concrete step to unite forces in combating global crime. He viewed that digital crimes such as online gambling and online fraud require a collective response between countries. According to him, it is not enough for one country to act alone, because criminals often move across regions and exploit existing legal loopholes.
On that occasion, the President also expressed his appreciation to the Thai government for its firm steps in handling cases involving Indonesian citizens. He assessed that Thailand’s swift action in helping to repatriate Indonesian citizens who were victims of digital crime networks showed the importance of humanitarian cooperation. This emphasizes that security cooperation is not only about state interests, but also the protection of individuals.
Not only focusing on the issue of online gambling, Indonesia and Thailand also agreed to increase coordination in the fields of maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and strengthening joint military exercises. The President considered that these elements are very relevant in preventing the development of cross-country digital crime networks. As a follow-up, the two countries will optimize forums such as the High Level Committee and Annual Security Dialogue to strengthen communication between leaders and related institutions.
Meanwhile, domestically, the government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) continues to take steps to handle the spread of online gambling content. However, the Director General of Digital Space Supervision at Komdigi, Alexander Sabar, revealed that until now the government still does not have a special Government Regulation (PP) that specifically regulates the handling of online gambling. He explained that discussions regarding the regulation are still ongoing, and until mid-May 2025, there is no clarity regarding the final form of the regulation.
Alexander said that current attention is still focused on the preparation of the PP on Personal Data Protection which is also a top priority in maintaining the national digital space. In the absence of special regulations, handling of online gambling is carried out responsively. One of the steps taken is blocking illegal sites that are detected to be spreading gambling content.
Furthermore, he explained that Komdigi also works with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and Bank Indonesia (BI) in prosecuting financial service providers suspected of being involved in online gambling transactions. In addition, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) is involved in tracing suspicious fund flows. Information obtained from the analysis results is then forwarded to law enforcement officers for further follow-up.
However, Alexander also acknowledged that handling online gambling is not just a technical issue, but also concerns long-term policies. He responded carefully to the discourse on legalizing digital casinos that had emerged in the public. According to him, such issues require in-depth study and are not within Komdigi’s domain to provide official opinions. He emphasized the importance of caution before taking steps that could have a broad impact on society.
Amidst various challenges, the government continues to strengthen cross-sector and cross-country approaches in dealing with digital crime. President Prabowo seems to realize that threats such as online gambling cannot be handled only with conventional legal approaches. Modernization of supervision, increasing the capacity of law enforcement officers, and international collaboration are the keys to dealing with the increasingly sophisticated phenomenon of digital crime.
The synergy between Indonesia and Thailand can be a model for regional cooperation in Southeast Asia, which has often been an easy target for international criminal networks. ASEAN is expected to adopt similar steps in building a stronger and more coordinated cyber defense system.
Moving forward, accelerating the establishment of a firm and comprehensive national legal framework needs to be a primary focus. Without adequate regulation, efforts to eradicate online gambling could be hampered and not even provide sufficient deterrent effect to the perpetrators. The government also needs to ensure that the policies implemented are not only reactive, but are able to become long-term solutions in building a safe, fair, and protected digital space.
The steps taken by President Prabowo in building international cooperation networks and strengthening the national security system reflect a serious commitment to protecting the public from the threat of cybercrime. These efforts are expected to be a strong foundation for a more solid digital governance in Indonesia in the future.
*) Social Policy Observer – Madani Institute Social Institution
