By: Dimas Permana )*
The rampant practice of online gambling in Indonesia has become a serious threat to the younger generation and the socio-economic stability of the nation. In its latest report, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) noted that in the first quarter of 2025, the number of online gamblers in Indonesia had reached 11 million people. This phenomenon shows how massive the spread of this illegal activity is, which is now not only targeting adults but also infiltrating the digital world that is familiar to young people. In a situation like this, new and creative approaches are needed to raise public awareness of the dangers of online gambling.
One innovative initiative that deserves appreciation is the collaboration between the film industry and the DANA digital wallet platform through the launch of the film Agen+62, an educational action comedy genre work. The film’s producer, Orchida Ramadhania, emphasized that this film is present as an alternative medium that is light, entertaining, and relevant to the tastes of the younger generation, but still carries an important message regarding the dangers of online gambling. With the direction of director Dinna Jasanti, Agen+62 becomes an effective communication bridge between serious issues and a way of delivering them that is easily digested by the general public.
This film is not just entertainment, but also a form of advocacy that highlights the digital reality in Indonesia. Online gambling is currently no longer present in a conventional form, but has transformed into fraud disguised in games, fake lotteries, and misleading “child-friendly” sites. The young age group is the main target, because they are more active in the digital world and tend not to have adequate digital literacy resilience. In this context, the film Agen+62 functions as a collective alarm that awakens public awareness, while also inviting them to act.
In line with the film’s producer, actress and political figure Rieke Diah Pitaloka, who also plays a role in this film, stated that an artistic approach is the best way to build public awareness. Art can reach the heart and reason simultaneously, making important messages easier to accept without having to preach. Rieke also emphasized the importance of cross-sector participation, including financial institutions, government, and technology platforms, in combating the dangers of online gambling. According to her, when all components of the nation unite, big changes can start from small, strategic steps.
DANA Indonesia’s involvement as a partner in this project shows a real form of corporate social responsibility that is oriented towards the digital security of the community. DANA Indonesia’s Communications Director, Olavina Harahap, said that her party has and will continue to develop active steps in eradicating online gambling practices. Starting from closing accounts that are suspected of being used for gambling transactions, reporting suspicious activities, to consistent public education campaigns. However, she also emphasized that effective education requires a new approach that is closer to people’s lives.
The film Agen+62 is one form of this approach. Through a narrative that is packaged in a light and humorous way, this film conveys that online gambling is not just a violation of the law, but also a form of fraud that robs people of their future and financial well-being. DANA hopes that the presence of this film can increase people’s digital literacy, foster collective awareness, and encourage the birth of agents of change who are able to keep Indonesia’s digital space clean, safe, and healthy. This is in line with the government’s spirit in encouraging a digital ecosystem that is integrated and sustainable.
This collaboration also reflects the importance of synergy between the private sector, creative actors, and regulators in building the nation’s digital defense fortress. The government has demonstrated its commitment to eradicating online gambling through various firm measures, including blocking sites, collaborating with the OJK and PPATK, and taking legal action against perpetrators. However, to strengthen the impact of this policy, support is needed from all elements of society, including the contribution of the entertainment world as a major channel of cultural influence.
Through Agen+62, the public is reminded that the war on online gambling is not only the task of the authorities or the government, but also a shared responsibility. Parents need to be more active in supervising their children’s online activities, educational institutions need to include aspects of digital literacy in the curriculum, and internet users must be more critical of the content they access and share. Because, in this digital era, the best defense is not just a firewall, but also user awareness and understanding.
More than just a film, Agen+62 is a cultural campaign that invites the public not to be silent about real threats in the digital space. That creativity can be a weapon against crime, and that entertainment can also be a medium for change. This is what makes the collaboration between DANA and the film world worthy of being an example and expanding its scope.
Now, it is time for the public to realize that online gambling is not just a violation of the law, but a poison that is slowly destroying the next generation of the nation. The public is expected to increase their vigilance and become part of a large movement in protecting digital space. Be an agent of change like in the film Agen+62—who with courage and intelligence, chooses to fight, not give up because Indonesia’s clean and ethical digital future begins with our awareness today.
)* The author is a Public Policy Observer.
