The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information has joined forces with telecoms providers to ban access to gambling content in a coordinated attempt to curb unlawful online gambling activity. In Indonesia, both land-based and online gambling are completely outlawed, punishable by up to four years in prison under Article 303 of the country’s penal code. The government intends to prosecute customers, influencers, and affiliates that promote such content and to outlaw unlawful internet gambling within its borders.
Budi Arie, Minister of Communication and Information, emphasized the growing tendency of utilizing influencers to promote gambling content, as well as the growing incidence of SMS and WhatsApp blasts targeting new gamers. To counteract these efforts, the government will work with telecommunications companies to effectively detect and block these messages.
Director General of Information Applications, Semuel A. Pangerapan, revealed that much of the gambling advertising originates from offshore jurisdictions. Once the content enters Indonesia, the government promptly terminates access, preventing illegal providers from targeting Indonesian players.
The ministry is determined to take swift action and plans to block gambling-related websites and social media posts within 24 hours of discovery. Public support in reporting online gambling content has proven invaluable in their efforts, enabling them to handle cases within hours of receiving reports. So far, over 5,000 gambling sites have been blocked in their ongoing fight against illegal gambling activities.
The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information blacklisted 846,047 pieces of gambling content between 2018 and 2023. The department maintains vigilant in monitoring internet gambling content, working closely with law enforcement agencies to effectively curb its spread.
Minister Budi Arie urged the public to keep reporting instances of online gambling content to the ministry. Furthermore, social media platforms have been asked to play a role in removing such content. Those who refuse to comply with the ministry’s demands to remove gambling-related content may suffer legal consequences under current laws and regulations.
The ministry has also been informed about banking accounts being used for internet gaming. The Ministry of Communication and Informatics received 1,859 complaints on the use of banking accounts in online gambling between January and July 2023. This brings the overall number of complaints received by the ministry to 1,914 in the same time period.
The post Indonesia Takes Strong Measures to Curb Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on iGaming.org.