By: Aldia Putra)*
Amidst the various economic challenges faced by the Indonesian people, online gambling (judol) is now a serious threat that weakens people’s purchasing power. This illegal activity not only harms individuals financially, but also has a systemic impact on the national economy. When people’s money that should be used for basic and productive needs flows to the judol platform, it is not surprising that purchasing power is also eroded.
Minister of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Maman Abdurrahman, revealed that based on the report of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the amount of money poured into the community for judol practices reached Rp 900 trillion per year. This figure is truly astonishing, and reflects how deep the addiction to judol has spread in society.
Maman gave an example of how Rp2 million sent by parents to their children could immediately decrease drastically because it was used for gambling. Even if only half of the money was spent on judol, the purchasing power of the young person would be disrupted. He emphasized that people who use judol as an escape or entertainment are actually digging a personal economic hole. Therefore, he supports the government’s firm steps to suppress this activity so that people’s purchasing power can improve again.
This phenomenon can also be read through existing economic indicators. In early 2025, Indonesia recorded deflation of 0.1 percent annually—the lowest figure since January 2000. According to a Bank Indonesia survey, this weakening purchasing power was influenced by declining consumer confidence, especially related to employment conditions. This means that people are increasingly reluctant to spend their money because they feel the future is uncertain. Online gambling, which significantly drains household funds, exacerbates this condition.
However, hope is still open. Maman noted that the trend of judol users has begun to decline since the government tightened enforcement. He hopes that with the decline in users, people’s purchasing power will gradually improve because their income is no longer used up for consumptive and speculative activities such as judol.
Meanwhile, the government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) also did not remain silent. Minister of Komdigi, Meutya Hafid, said that her party had blocked more than 1 million online gambling sites. However, she admitted that technical blocking alone was not enough to solve the problem. She said that gambling had become a social crisis that required a comprehensive approach, involving various sectors and elements of society.
Meutya stated that the government has the authority to block sites, but according to her, what is more important is to create a clean ecosystem and be aware of the dangers of online gambling. She also appreciated the initiatives of various parties, such as digital platforms and stakeholders who are members of the Gambling Alliance , which actively assist in efforts to eradicate online gambling.
Interestingly, Meutya also emphasized the role of families and grassroots communities in overcoming this problem. She invited Gojek driver partners—who are known to have close ties with the community—to become agents of change. According to her, changing people’s behavior towards online gambling can start from educating the closest environment, including homes and workplaces.
These government steps and cross-sector collaborations are worthy of appreciation. Because, the impact of judol is not just financial, but also concerns the future of the younger generation, family stability, and the effectiveness of national economic policies. If society continues to fall into this digital trap, then all efforts to encourage economic growth based on consumption and MSMEs will hit a dead end.
In addition, we need to realize that the recovery of people’s purchasing power cannot only rely on government intervention. Active participation from the community is the main key. Parents need to be more careful in accompanying their children, community leaders can help voice the dangers of online gambling in public spaces, and young people must be more critical in using technology.
The problem of judol must also be seen as a challenge for digital literacy. Many people are not yet aware that gambling services are now disguised in the form of game applications, social media, and even hidden advertisements. Therefore, digital literacy must continue to be improved so that people do not get caught up in practices that are legally prohibited and socially destructive.
From an economic perspective, every rupiah that comes out of people’s pockets for online gambling is a potential consumption lost from the real sector. In fact, household consumption is the main pillar of Indonesia’s economic growth. So, the more people are trapped in the judol cycle, the greater the pressure on national economic recovery targets.
Now is the time for all parties to move together. The government, private sector, media, families, and youth communities must unite to stem the tide of judol that erodes people’s welfare. If Indonesia wants to become an economically strong nation, then social diseases such as online gambling must be eradicated immediately.
Let’s fight this threat together. Say no to online gambling. Guard your wallet, guard your future. Use our money and time for productive things, not for activities that only bring regret. Indonesia will be more prosperous if its people are smart in making financial decisions. Don’t let online gambling steal our future.
)* The author is a socio-economic observer
