Indonesia leaving no stone unturned in war against online gambling

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) affirmed that the Indonesian government is committed to exerting all-out efforts to eradicate and combat practices of online gambling, including by forming a special task force.

“The government has been serious in eradicating and combating online gambling. We have managed to take down over 2.1 million online gambling sites. Moreover, the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force is about to be formed,” he remarked in Jakarta on Wednesday (June 12).

Jokowi made the remarks while delivering a press statement on the danger of online gambling, as witnessed on his secretariat’s YouTube channel. The statement was made in response to recent crimes related to online gambling.

The head of state pointed out that online gambling had led to economic and social disasters while drawing attention to such a practice being responsible for cases of bankruptcy, divorce, violence, and murder.

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He then underscored that online gambling constitutes a transboundary and transnational organized crime that prompts people to take independent actions to resist and avoid it rather than solely relying on the government’s measures.

In this regard, the president urged Indonesians to use their assets for legal and beneficial purposes and to avoid gambling.

“It would be better to save your money or use it as business capital since gambling is not just risking money, not just a fun game with prizes, but it is risking the future of ourselves, of our family, and of our children,” he emphasized.

Jokowi also invited all religious and community figures, as well as members of the community, to work together in the fight against online gambling by reminding and looking after one another and reporting indications of online gambling practices to the authorities.

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