Indonesia launches massive crackdown on online gambling, blocks nearly three million sites

JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has launched a sweeping campaign against online gambling, blocking a staggering 2,945,150 gambling sites from July 2023 to June 13, 2024.

The ministry also addressed 16,596 instances of gambling content infiltrating educational platforms and 18,974 on government websites, while pressing for the closure of 555 e-wallet accounts linked to illicit gambling activities.

Minister Budi Arie Setiadi, in a statement on Thursday, said the crackdown came amid growing concerns over the proliferation of online gambling and its societal impacts.

The ministry issued stern warnings to major digital platforms, including X, Telegram, Google, Meta, and TikTok, emphasising potential fines of up to 500 million rupiah (US$30,328) per content piece for non-compliance, while Internet Service Providers failing to cooperate risk having their licences revoked.

“The negative impacts of online gambling are profound, affecting our economy, social fabric, and even resulting in personal tragedies,” Budi Arie stated.

President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, recently added his voice to the call against online gambling, urging citizens to avoid both online and offline gambling activities.

“Don’t gamble… Don’t gamble… Don’t gamble… whether offline or online. It’s better to save or invest your income in business ventures,” Jokowi urged, echoing concerns over the detrimental effects of gambling on families and society.

Last week, local media reported a tragic incident in Mojokerto, East Java, where a policewoman fatally burned her husband following a dispute over his involvement in online gambling activities.

The couple, who had three children, were engaged in a heated argument that tragically ended with the husband’s death while he was receiving treatment at the hospital. – Bernama