TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has expressed concern over the rampant online gambling activities in Indonesia, stating that the country is losing Rp900 trillion annually. The former Defense Minister emphasized the impact on low-income individuals who are particularly vulnerable to falling victim to these illicit activities.

“Many low-income individuals are affected, and they try it. So, we must genuinely strive to eradicate it,” the former Special Forces Commander (Kopassus) said in a written statement on Monday, October 28.

He claimed that he is aware of the key players behind the rampant online gambling industry in the country, including several individuals operating from overseas. “I think the main actors turn out to be not 1-2 people, but several people, many from abroad, and so on,” said the chief patron of the Gerindra Party.

Following the inauguration, Minister of Communication and Digital Meutia Hafid pledged to continue the efforts of the previous administration in combating online gambling. “The war against online gambling by Budi Arie will definitely be continued by us together,” Meutia said, as reported by Antara.

Data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) reveals a sharp increase in online gambling transactions over the past three years. In 2021, the turnover reached Rp57 trillion, increasing to Rp81 trillion in 2022. A dramatic spike occurred in 2023, with transactions amounting to Rp327 trillion.

In 2024, the scale of online gambling has reached alarming levels. Within the first three months of the year, transactions exceeded the total amount for the entire year of 2023, reaching Rp600 trillion.

As of mid-September 2024, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) has blocked over 3.2 million online gambling sites and related content.

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