DIGIVESTASI - The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemenkominfo) projects that the turnover from online gambling will reach IDR 900 trillion in 2024, nearly three times the IDR 327 trillion recorded in 2023, according to data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). Minister of Communication and Information Technology Budi Arie Setiadi explained that the high value of online gambling transactions is driven by the public being enticed by the promise of large profits from online gambling platforms.

"Online gambling is a scam. How can people be promised that IDR 50,000 can turn into IDR 1 billion? Isn’t that a scam?" said Budi on Thursday (1/8/2024).

According to him, eradicating online gambling in Indonesia requires commitment and consistency from all segments of society, including the employees of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

Budi emphasized five key principles to prevent this practice: Awareness, Commitment, Consistency, Courage, and Avoiding Temptation. "These five things are Awareness, Commitment, Consistency, Courage, and lastly, Avoiding Temptation. If we are tempted even a little, we will falter," he stressed.

Previously, Kemenkominfo discovered online gambling practices originating from China and several Southeast Asian countries. However, the number is not as large as in the Philippines and Cambodia. Director General of Public Information and Communication (IKP) at Kemenkominfo, Usman Kansong, said that they will continue to monitor developments from other countries regarding online gambling practices, including other Southeast Asian countries and China. Following the permanent closure of internet access to and from Cambodia and the Philippines, Kemenkominfo is considering closing access from other countries as well.

"China doesn’t have many, but we will see how we can enforce closures. Let's see first," Usman said in Jakarta on Friday (26/7/2024).

Usman noted that the Philippines and Cambodia are considered the countries with the most online gambling content and sites infiltrating Indonesia. As a result, Kemenkominfo has closed internet access from these two countries. "Other countries do have it too, because online gambling operators and servers also exist in other ASEAN countries, but we will see how necessary and urgent it is," Usman added.

Usman explained that cutting off internet access to and from the Philippines and Cambodia has significantly helped reduce online gambling access into Indonesia. Furthermore, Usman stated that Kemenkominfo's focus is to ensure that the closure of access from Cambodia and the Philippines is effective, given that these two countries are the centers of online gambling practices.

On the other hand, Usman conveyed that the Philippine gambling regulator’s plan to ban online gambling is good news.

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