Ministry steps up cyber patrol against online gambling

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is intensifying its cyber patrol to detect and block access to sites or applications that contain online gambling content in a bid to eradicate online gambling practices.

Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid made the statement at the "Combating Online Gambling and New Crimes in the Era of Digital Economy 5.0" event in Jakarta on Tuesday (November 19), according to a statement from her ministry.

The minister noted that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is utilizing the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to detect online gambling content.

Hafid remarked that since 2017, the ministry had cut off access to 5.1 million pieces of gambling content, including 3.5 million pieces of content blocked in 2024 alone.

In addition, the ministry held training programs in 2024 to improve the digital literacy of people in 27 provinces, with the number of participants reaching 165 thousand.

Hafid has called on social media platforms operating in Indonesia to campaign for the anti-online gambling movement.

"Although they are platforms from abroad, as long as those accessing them are Indonesians, then their business activities cannot be separated from our narrative as a nation," she highlighted.

Furthermore, the minister underscored the need for digital financial service providers to also support efforts to eradicate online gambling practices.

"This is where strong cooperation is needed. We need to intensify and accelerate efforts to block (online gambling content) on sites. However, at the same time, if the financial transactions are not monitored, the efforts will not generate results," she emphasized.

As part of the efforts to eradicate online gambling in the country, the Indonesian government had earlier formed the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force, marked by the issuance of Presidential Decree Number 21 of 2024 on June 14, 2024.