TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Satryo Brodjonegoro, said there are around 960,000 students, with the majority of college students, affected by online gambling in Indonesia.

“Over 960,000 students and college students are involved in online gambling thus far,” he said on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

The minister said these students will be provided with mental rehabilitation. He said universities are obliged to provide care and rehabilitation for students who are victimized by online gambling.

“To ensure they will no longer be ensnared by online gambling,” he said. 

The ministry also instructed university higher-ups to prevent online gambling practices within their academic communities.

Previously, the Head of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), Ivan Yustiavandana, revealed that the age of online gambling players in Indonesia has reached as young as under 10 years old.

Ivan disclosed this during a meeting with the Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

“Online gambling players’ ages keep getting younger, even under 10 years old. Meaning, the targeted population of the players is growing,” said Ivan.

Based on the data he obtained, Ivan said that there has been a development in the distribution percentage of online gambling player demographics based on age. From 2017 to 2023, the group of online gambling players under the age of 10 reached 2.02 percent.

Furthermore, the age group of 10-20 reached 10.97 percent; 21-30 years old amounted to 12.82 percent; 30-50 years old reached 40.18 percent; and below 50 years old amounted to 33.98 percent.

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