Indonesian minister calls online gambling “a social disaster”

Muhaimin Iskandar has called for collective action against illegal gambling.

Indonesia.- Muhaimin Iskandar, Indonesia’s chief human development and cultural affairs minister, has described online gambling as “a social disaster” during a visit to people with gambling-harm issues. He called for a unified effort to eradicate illegal gambling.

According to Jakarta Globe, around 100 patients with mental health issues linked to online gambling addiction have been treated in the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) this year. The Online Gambling Task Force has estimated that Indonesia has 4 million online gamblers, with 40 of them aged between 31 and 50 and 80,000 under the age of 10. The majority are from economically disadvantaged groups, frequently spending as little as Rp 10,000 (less than US$1) per session.

General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, chief of the Indonesian National Police, has said he will pursue measures against any police officers implicated in supporting online gambling. He made the statement following a working meeting with Commission III of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, last Monday (November 11).  

Sigit Prabowo said he had directed the Professional and Security Division (Propam) to take disciplinary actions against any officers found to be involved and that criminal investigations would also be taken. According to Tempo, he said: “For those involved in receiving or even backing [bribes], I will request a thorough criminal investigation and prosecution.”

See also: Indonesian minister warns against using state aid for online gambling

Gambling in Indonesia is illegal for both citizens and foreigners. In September, Budie Arie Setiadi, Indonesia’s communication and informatics minister, announced that between July 17, 2023 and September 17, 2024, the ministry removed 3,383,000 pieces of online gambling content. The ministry submitted 20,842 keywords related to online gambling to Google from November 7, 2023 to August 8, 2024 and 5,173 to Meta from December 15, 2023 to August 8, 2024.

Muhaimin Iskandar has called for collective action against illegal gambling. Indonesia.- Muhaimin Iskandar, Indonesia’s chief human development and cultural affairs minister, has described online gambling as “a social disaster” during a…