The Government is Firmly Taking Action Against Misuse of Social Assistance for Online Gambling
By: Umar Adisusanto)*
When the state provides social assistance, the hope is to foster family resilience. However, when social assistance is squandered on online gambling, it is a clear betrayal of the state’s mandate.
The government, through the Ministry of Social Affairs, has demonstrated a firm and uncompromising stance against the misuse of social assistance, particularly for online gambling. Based on data matching from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), more than 600,000 social assistance recipients were found to be involved in this practice. Of these, more than 228,000 have had their assistance terminated, while the remainder are still under evaluation for the next quarter.
These findings are both surprising and saddening. Social assistance should provide an economic cushion for the most vulnerable groups, covering basic needs such as food, child nutrition, healthcare, education, and protection for the elderly and people with disabilities. However, in practice, it turns out that a handful of recipients are misusing the aid to spin a virtual wheel of fortune—an action that not only harms themselves but also undermines public trust.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf emphasized that social assistance distribution must be targeted and not used for destructive consumerist purposes. He stated that this evaluation step demonstrates the state’s commitment to ensuring that aid only reaches those truly deserving and that it does not deviate from its intended purpose. Coordination with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) will continue, including tracking the flow of funds through recipients’ accounts.
It’s important to understand that the government isn’t playing around. The President, through Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2025, has tasked relevant ministries with strengthening the data-based monitoring system. Going forward, all Population Identification Numbers (NIK) of social assistance recipients will be continuously monitored to prevent any potential misuse. This is a major effort to maintain the credibility of social protection programs.
Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka also took a similarly firm stance. During his visit to Boyolali, he bluntly reminded people that aid such as the Wage Subsidy Assistance (BSU) should not be used for gambling, whether online or offline. He stated that aid like the BSU, which provides Rp 600,000 for two months, should be used productively, such as purchasing school supplies or basic necessities, not for speculating on one’s fate.
Gibran’s comments reflect valid concerns. He even emphasized that such transactions can be tracked electronically and the government will not hesitate to take legal action. He urged the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and the Ministry of Communication and Digital to proactively monitor suspicious fund flows. This marks a new era: transparency and accountability in the social assistance system are non-negotiable.
The impact of online gambling is not trivial. Psychologist Novy Yulianty revealed that many gamblers are trapped in a complex biological and psychological cycle. The euphoric effect of an initial win triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which then creates a compulsion to continue gambling even after repeated losses. Even more worrying, many people use gambling as an escape from stress or financial hardship. They hope for a windfall that will solve their problems, when in reality, it only makes them worse.
In many cases, losing doesn’t deter people. Instead, the human brain remembers small, illusory wins. This cycle keeps individuals trying again and again. Therefore, according to Novy, the process of breaking free from the clutches of gambling requires more than lectures or prohibitions; it requires a psychological and medical approach that addresses the root of the problem.
Now is the time for the public to recognize that online gambling is a form of sabotage against the government’s carefully designed social justice programs. When aid that should save lives is instead used as a tool of destruction, the damage caused is not only to the household economy but also to our collective ethics as a nation.
Indonesia’s social assistance program is designed to be a tool for structural redress of inequality. The President even expanded the scope of aid and increased the amount for more than 18 million recipients by the second quarter of 2025. This step demonstrates the state’s commitment to the common people. It would be deeply ironic if this opportunity were wasted on gambling.
The government has opened a platform for complaints and clarification for those who feel they have been treated unfairly. The verification system involves the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) to ensure evaluations remain objective and transparent. However, the public must also be ethically aware: diverting social assistance into gambling capital is a betrayal of the public’s sense of justice.
Financial literacy education and strengthening moral values are urgently needed. The public needs to be encouraged to develop a productive mindset and resist the temptation of luck. Cross-sector collaboration—education, religion, media, and communities—is needed to extinguish the flames of online gambling that have destroyed many futures.
The state has fulfilled its functions: providing, monitoring, and taking action. Now it’s the public’s turn to play a role in maintaining the integrity of social assistance so that it truly serves as a safety net for those in need. We must not let social assistance, which should save, actually lead to harm.
Use social assistance according to its intended purpose. Never use social assistance for online gambling, as this is not only against the law but also betrays national solidarity.
)* The author is a contributor to the Lingkar Khatulistiwa Institute
