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Government Works Hard to Prevent Young Generation from Being Exposed to Online Gambling

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Jakarta – The rise of online gambling targeting the younger generation has received serious attention from the government.

The Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Dito Ariotedjo, expressed his concern over the data submitted by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), which shows that more than 190,000 children in Indonesia have been exposed to online gambling with total transactions reaching IDR 293.4 billion.

“It’s sad to see people, including our young people, trapped in online gambling. In fact, online gambling has a damaging impact on the future of the nation,” said Dito.

As a form of responsibility, the Minister of Youth and Sports has issued Circular Letter (SE) Number 11.7.42 of 2024 which instructs Kemenpora employees to hold educational activities about the dangers of online gambling. It is hoped that the activities will be able to prevent the younger generation from getting caught up in these illegal activities.

“Kemenpora also has many programs that young people can participate in, such as the Inter-Village Championship (Tarkam) and various youth activities that encourage their positive involvement. With this, they will not be tempted to try online gambling,” explained Dito.

Not only the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) also highlighted the important role of families in preventing children from being exposed to online gambling.

According to the Assistant Deputy for Special Protection of Children from Violence at the Ministry of PPPA, Ciput Eka Purwianti, open communication between parents and children is very important.
“Through positive dialogue and two-way discussions, parents can be the first line of defense for their children to avoid the risk of exposure to online gambling,” said Ciput.

She explained that many children are trapped in online gambling starting from competitive online games that trigger addiction and a desire to win. This situation often tempts children to top up funds or even take actions that violate the rules.

“If children are already trapped in addiction, they can do risky things, such as stealing money from their parents. This can develop into more serious behavior if not supervised wisely,” said Ciput.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, reminded that increasingly easy internet access makes children more vulnerable to online gambling. She urged the government to work with internet service providers to block online gambling sites and hold digital education programs involving parents, teenagers, and children.

“We all have a responsibility to protect Indonesian children from the dangers of online gambling. Family education and wise supervision are important keys in facing this challenge,” Puan concluded.

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