Online gambling continues to pose a serious threat to Indonesian society, affecting people across all age groups, including school students. Erwin, a former gambler, admitted that he began gambling while still in high school in 2017. At the time, the forms of gambling he encountered were mainly sports betting and lottery games, unlike today’s digital score-based platforms.

His introduction to gambling started when a friend borrowed money for a deposit. Curious about the activity, Erwin eventually became interested and agreed to split the deposit costs. The deal was simple: if they won, the profits would be shared equally. From an initial capital of Rp200,000, they managed to earn up to Rp5 million.

“Yes, and unfortunately, like many people experience, the first deposit usually wins. We both won. I still remember turning 200,000 into 5 million,” said the man from West Sumbawa during the Judi Pasti Rugi: Nationwide Journey to Eradicate Online Gambling event in Jakarta on Thursday (Jan. 29, 2026).

That early success led him to believe money could be earned easily. Instead, it dragged him deeper into online gambling for the next eight years. Throughout that period, Erwin resorted to various ways to obtain money, including lying to his parents by claiming it was for school expenses, even while studying under a scholarship.

“Selling my phone or motorcycle became something normal for me,” he admitted.

His studies, which should have been completed in 3.5 years, were delayed due to his gambling addiction. When he later worked in the mining industry and earned a high income, much of it was spent on gambling.

“If you add it all up, over eight years—just in the last two years alone—I spent around Rp800 million, and I was only 24 years old at the time,” Erwin said.

He revealed that he tried to quit two to three years ago, but the desire to win and recover past losses made it extremely difficult. About a year and a half ago, he finally stopped completely and accepted letting go of the pursuit of winnings.

“For friends out there who want to quit, the key is acceptance. The last two to three years were tough because I still had the ambition to recover my losses,” he explained.

At the same event, GoPay Senior Brand Manager Irwan Ari Wibowo said the Judi Pasti Rugi campaign has uncovered many tragic stories related to online gambling, including messages received through the team’s social media channels.

One account described someone who nearly took their own life after losing everything, including assets and family members who had left them. “There are so many rock-bottom moments, and sadly, most people only realize it after they’ve lost everything,” Irwan said.