Indonesia's fight against online gambling shows promising results with declining transactions in 2024.
Indonesia's aggressive campaign against online gambling appears to be making headway, with government officials reporting a significant decrease in transaction volumes throughout 2024. However, authorities acknowledge the persistent nature of the problem and are intensifying their efforts, including deploying advanced cybersecurity measures.
Data released by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs reveals a dramatic decline in online gambling transactions. From 21 trillion rupiahs (US$1.28 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, transactions plummeted to 16 trillion rupiahs (US$978 million) in the second quarter, and further fell to 4 trillion rupiahs (US$244.5 million) in the third quarter.
"If we refer to the data, we can see positive progress with the decreasing number of online gambling transactions," stated Alexander Sabar, director of digital space supervision at the ministry, during a recent parliamentary meeting.
The government attributes this success to its multi-pronged approach, which includes blocking millions of gambling-related websites and online content. Since early 2017, the ministry has removed a staggering 5.7 million pieces of online gambling content, with 3.5 million of those removals occurring in 2024 alone.
Beyond enforcement, Indonesia is investing in digital literacy campaigns, particularly in rural areas, to educate citizens about the risks and deceptive nature of online gambling. These campaigns utilize social media, community outreach, and educational programs to combat addiction, a key driver of the problem.
"Blocking websites and content is not enough because one of the main reasons people engage in online gambling is high addiction," explained Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid in a recent statement.
Despite the encouraging trend, Indonesia faces significant challenges. The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) estimates that 8.8 million Indonesians participated in online gambling in 2024, including 80,000 children under the age of 10. Disturbingly, reports have surfaced of government officials, including village heads, misusing public funds for online gambling activities. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs recently dismissed ten employees for their involvement in online gambling.
To further strengthen its efforts, Indonesia's National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) has established a special task force. This task force is dedicated to detecting and eliminating online gambling links, even those hidden within government websites. Using techniques like "dorking" and cyber threat intelligence monitoring, the BSSN conducts 24-hour surveillance of government domains and subdomains.
"We conduct 24-hour monitoring of domains and subdomains, patrolling data in the monitoring sensor system to check for any links related to online gambling," said Dominggus Pakel, deputy for cybersecurity operations and cryptography at BSSN.
While the declining transaction numbers offer a glimmer of hope, Indonesia's fight against online gambling is far from over. The government remains committed to its intensive, multi-faceted strategy, recognizing the complex nature of the issue and the need for continued vigilance.
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