Indonesia Cracks Down on Illegal Online Gambling with ISP License Threa

Indonesian internet service providers (ISPs) risk losing their licenses if they do not help with the government’s crackdown on unlawful online gambling.

The Communication and Information Ministry (Kominfo) is adopting a firm stance, encouraging ISPs to automatically synchronize with the government’s blacklist of harmful information, which includes entries for illicit gambling websites.

Despite having over 1,000 ISPs in the country, just one-third have followed the automatic synchronization order.

Kominfo has warned non-compliant ISPs that they will be publicly shamed as a result of their failure to cooperate.

Recent field testing have underscored the problem, with 26 of a sample group still permitting access to illegal gambling sites.

As a result, 26 ISPs received initial warnings, while three received subsequent warnings.

The crackdown goes beyond ISPs, with digital platforms such as Google, Meta (Facebook), and TikTok facing fines of up to $31,000 for permitting illegal gambling content to exist.

Between November 2023 and May 2024, Kominfo found almost 20,000 gambling-related terms on Google alone.

President Joko Widodo has taken an active role in addressing this issue, spearheading discussions at a recent Cabinet meeting about forming a specific task force on internet gambling.

This multifaceted approach demonstrates the Indonesian government’s unwavering determination to combat the expansion of illegal internet gambling activities within its borders.

Original Story by: Asian Gaming Brief