Indonesia is pushing for the rehabilitation of teenagers exposed to online gambling.
Indonesia is pushing for the rehabilitation of teenagers affected by online gambling, instead of criminalizing them.
The government is concerned about the rising number of young people who are getting addicted to online gambling and is looking for ways to help them recover.
According to government data, some 960,000 out of 8.8 million Indonesians affected by online gambling are school and university students.
"They are victims of a system that is not protecting them enough. Hence, the main strategy to address them should be through rehabilitation instead of punitive approaches," the ministry's deputy for youth empowerment, Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh said in a statement last December 3, as quoted by Indonesian news agency Antara.
The government's rehabilitation program will provide support and education to young people who are affected by online gambling. The program will help them to develop digital skills and to avoid harmful online activities. The government will also offer support to those who are struggling with financial difficulties or relationship issues related to gambling.
"We encourage them to be content creators, YouTubers, or other digital-related professions. From merely idling, they can now relax on the beach while the money comes to them," Sholeh shared.
Online gambling is illegal in Indonesia. However, it is still prevalent, especially among young people. This is due to the easy access to online gambling sites and the lack of awareness about the dangers of online gambling.
The Indonesian government has been cracking down on online gambling. In 2022, the government blocked over 600,000 gambling websites. However, new websites continue to emerge, making it difficult to completely eradicate online gambling.
By focusing on rehabilitation and education, Indonesia aims to create a futur
e generation that uses technology responsibly and avoids the pitfalls of online gambling.
Read related article: 960K Indonesian Students Gamble Online: Gov’t Data
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