It is not wrong to try eradicating online gambling with the Task Force

Although online gambling sites have been blocked, new sites often emerge. The flow of online gambling money can still continue as they have many accounts to store online gambling deposits.

Also read: Online Gambling Money Turnover Reaches IDR 327 Trillion

"The accounts used to collect online gambling deposits also come from the community due to the practice of buying and selling accounts. Even though the accounts of online gambling organizers have been blocked, they have ways to keep the flow of money going," said Nailul when contacted on Friday (April 19, 2024).

Apart from that, Nailul also sees that there is the most influential factor that makes online gambling widespread in Indonesia, namely information that is easily accessible. Many influencers, artists or content creators obtain advertising from online gambling providers.

"Online gambling in Indonesia has entered a chronic stage, where almost all levels have been infiltrated by information about online gambling. It is this information regarding online gambling that must be cut. "On all social media, there are online gambling promotional advertisements advertised through advertising, influencers, and content creators," he said.

Previously, in a report byKompason April 19 2024, the government admitted that online gambling was difficult to eradicate even though it was detrimental to ordinary people because ministries and institutions worked separately. To overcome this, the government plans to eradicate online gambling in a more holistic manner. An inter-agency task force is also planned to be formed soon.

A new site appears

Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Budi Arie Setiadi said the government would form an integrated task force (task force) to eradicate online gambling. So far, Kemenkominfo can block online gambling sites. However, often after being blocked new sites appear.

"So, people close (online gambling sites) here, (sites) appear using other names," said Budi Arie.

In addition, even though online gambling sites have been blocked, the flow of money for online gambling continues. While OJK can block, they cannot open or freeze accounts. Law enforcement officials must do this. Therefore, it is hoped that the task force can eradicate online gambling in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

Budi Arie said that the turnover of online gambling money in Indonesia throughout 2023—according to data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK)—reached IDR 327 trillion. It is considered that a turnover of this size is very detrimental to small people. "This year alone, I said at the beginning of the meeting, four people committed suicide due to online gambling. "We, this country, have to be serious," he said.

To eradicate online gambling and capture the dealers, the Task Force will consist of law enforcement officers, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, and others. As for the coordinator, it is likely to be held by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kompas.id, 19/4/2024).

Previously, the daily Kompas published the results of investigative coverage regarding the phenomenon of online gambling in Indonesia which is controlled from Cambodia. The results of the investigation, published on 14-15 December 2023, also revealed the practice of buying and selling bank accounts in Indonesia as a means of collecting funds for online gambling activities.

Based on banking reports throughout the year 2023, PPATK detected 12,079 online gambling deposit accounts suspected to have been collected from the public through the practice of buying and selling accounts. Meanwhile, the total financial transactions related to online gambling between 2017 and 2023 exceeded IDR 500 trillion (Kompas.id, 14/12/2023).

"We don't have an integrated system, such as account numbers with NIK, several other population numbers, tax serial numbers, and mobile phone numbers.

Regarding the practice of buying and selling bank accounts in Indonesia as a means of collecting funds for online gambling activities, Nailul believes this is due to the lack of an integrated system that shares customer information. This gap is exploited by online gambling operators to have accounts for collecting deposits for online gambling.

"We don't have an integrated system such as account numbers with NIK, several other population numbers, tax serial numbers, and mobile phone numbers. We don't have that because we stand alone or individually. "It's even more difficult because people are selling personal data," said Nailul.

Right move

The Chairman of the Communication and Information System Security Research Center (CISSReC), Pratama Persadha, believes that even though the government has long declared Indonesia to be in a state of emergency regarding online gambling, the circulation of online gambling has not decreased, but instead has become increasingly widespread. The victims target various elements of society, including elementary and junior high school students who also experience addiction to online gambling.

Also read: Investigating the Phenomenon of Online Gambling

Pratama stated that the formation of an online gambling eradication task force was the right step taken by the government because so far each party has taken action to eradicate online gambling. Relevant ministries/institutions still work individually according to their respective main tasks and functions, without any party orchestrating the actions. As a result, actions to eradicate online gambling become less effective because they are not well coordinated.

"As all parties involved in the eradication of online gambling will have an institution that sits together and shares data as well as coordinates the necessary actions, the eradication steps will no longer be sporadic measures from each ministry/agency. Instead, it becomes a structured step taken simultaneously by various parties," he said.

Pratama hopes that the steps the government will take can enable the spread of online gambling to be suppressed or even stopped. By establishing the online gambling eradication task force, the government's steps will be more optimal.