Jakarta — The online gambling platform Kingdom Group has once again drawn public attention after being suspected as one of the networks fueling the rise of online gambling practices across various regions. The government is urging citizens—especially recipients of social assistance (bansos)—not to fall for the enticements and digital recruitment tactics used by such groups.
Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, popularly known as Gus Ipul, emphasized that social assistance must not be used for activities that harm families, including online gambling. This statement was delivered during his recent inspection of social aid distribution in Bekasi.
“It must not be used for other purposes such as playing online gambling and so on. That is clearly prohibited,” Gus Ipul stated.
He stressed that social aid should be utilized for essential household needs such as education and food.
“I hope this can truly be used seriously and properly for the benefit of the family—for children’s schooling and for purchasing food supplies,” he said.
The Ministry of Social Affairs recorded that regular social assistance of Rp200,000 per month, totaling Rp600,000, will be distributed to eligible beneficiary families (KPM). The government reminded the public that this assistance must not be diverted to illegal activities that financially harm households.
A similar warning was delivered by Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra. He revealed that more than 600,000 social aid recipients were found to have used their assistance funds to gamble online. The findings were based on analytical reports from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).
“The government has even detected that certain scholarship funds given to school and university students have also been used for online gambling,” Yusril said.
Yusril explained that misuse of social aid for online gambling poses serious social consequences, ranging from frustration and violence to other criminal acts. He added that the risks associated with online gambling are even greater than those of traditional gambling.
“Online gambling has grown rapidly in line with technological advancements and developments in financial transaction systems through banking, online transfers, e-money, and so on,” he explained.
To dismantle online gambling networks at their financial roots, the government is implementing a money laundering (TPPU) approach.
“Through this approach, the government can trace, freeze, and seize criminal proceeds used to fund and expand online gambling operations,” he said.
PPATK is also playing a central role by monitoring and blocking suspicious transactions suspected of being linked to online gambling. The government is strengthening international cooperation to suppress gambling operators who conduct cross-border activities.
“Online gambling is not merely conventional gambling like betting or cockfighting—it is a transnational organized crime,” Yusril emphasized.
The government hopes that the public remains vigilant, avoids misusing social aid, and does not fall into online gambling schemes operated by syndicates such as Kingdom Group. **
