Law enforcement authorities continue to crack down on online\ngambling. The latest development is that Bareskrim Polri has completed\nthe investigation of an online gambling case with evidence worth Rp 55\nbillion. The payment gateway system needs to be strengthened to tightly\nseal off online gambling transactions.<\/p>\n
The Directorate of Cyber Crime at Bareskrim Polri states that the\ncase files implicating several suspects have been declared complete\n(P21) by prosecutors from the Attorney General\u2019s Office of the Republic\nof Indonesia. The suspects and evidence worth Rp 55 billion will soon be\nhanded over.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the case files are declared complete or P21, we will\nimmediately proceed to stage II, which involves handing over the\nsuspects and evidence to the public prosecutor. The total evidence to be\nhanded over consists of money amounting to Rp 55 billion, which is the\nproceeds from online gambling activities,\u201d said Kasubdit I of the Cyber\nCrime Directorate at Bareskrim Polri, Kombes Rizki Prakoso, in his\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Payment Gateways Need Strengthening<\/p>\n
Nailul Huda, Director of the Digital Economy at the Center of\nEconomic and Law Studies (Celios), assesses that providers of payment\ngateway systems or digital payments must have technology capable of\nblocking the flow of transactions to accounts holding funds for online\ngambling platforms. Nailul believes that online gambling transactions\nmust have their flow cut off.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransactions suspected to be online gambling must have their flow\ncut off. Payment system providers must have technology to block the flow\nof money to online gambling holding accounts,\u201d said Nailul, as quoted by\nthe Antara news agency, cited on Sunday (29\/3\/2026).<\/p>\n
In addition, Nailul mentioned that payment system providers need to\nhave more cautious electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) services. These\nservices could utilise Regulatory Technology (Regtech) tools to block\nthe flow of transactions to online gambling platforms.<\/p>\n
According to him, one of the drivers of high public involvement in\nonline gambling is the ease and speed of transactions through payment\nsystems that are integrated with online gambling platforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is also supported by increasingly easy payment systems with\nsufficiently quick transactions, whether through bank accounts or\ndigital wallets. The easier financial transactions are for top-ups and\nso on, I think the more online gambling players there will be,\u201d said\nNailul.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he assesses that it is not entirely fair to blame the\nsophistication of digital payment systems and payment gateways amid the\ncurrent acceleration of digital technology transformation.<\/p>\n
According to him, the sophistication of digital payment systems has\nalso brought positive impacts by making it easier for the public to\ntransact anywhere and anytime, for example, in payments on e-commerce\nplatforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cPositive transactions are also more numerous. So, do not blame the\nexisting technology,\u201d said Nailul.<\/p>\n
Nailul assesses that the motives for the public playing online\ngambling include obtaining additional funds easily and quickly amid\neconomic pressures on the middle to lower classes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we see as the motive for people playing online gambling is to\nget money in an easy and quick way. Without overly expensive tools, with\nan easy process, it will certainly attract people who need additional\nincome,\u201d said Nailul.<\/p>\n
Quoted from a CNBC Indonesia broadcast, Nailul stated that digital\nliteracy among the Indonesian public is still low, especially with the\nemergence of online gambling advertisements on social media. This\ninformation, he said, must be restricted to stop the dissemination of\ninformation about online gambling to the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe information is not restricted by the government. If we look at\ninfluencers, celebrities, and so on, even content creators on YouTube\nare advertising online gambling sites. This information must be\nrestricted so that content creators, whether on social media or YouTube,\nare not allowed to advertise online gambling to anyone; that is one way\nto stop the spread of information about online gambling to the public,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, public policy observer and CEO of Narasi Institute, Achmad\nNur Hidayat, assesses that online gambling only benefits the bookmakers\nbut is increasingly destroying national stability. Achmad reveals that\nonline gambling poses a real threat to households, workforce\nproductivity, and other economic sectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big profits from this activity are only enjoyed by a handful of\nparties, namely the bookmakers, who have not yet been arrested by law\nenforcement authorities, while the negative impacts must be borne by the\nwider public,\u201d said Achmad, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Achmad conveyed that 80% of the 4.4 million online gambling\nperpetrators come from the middle to lower classes, which are the most\neconomically vulnerable groups. The funds used for gambling flow out of\nthe country because most gambling platforms are operated by foreign\nentities.<\/p>\n
Achmad explained that many families are trapped in debt due to online\ngambling addiction. This creates multiple negative effects in other\nsectors, particularly workforce productivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn many cases, this leads to work absenteeism, decreased\nproductivity, and conflicts in the work environment. When this happens\non a massive scale, companies in various sectors also feel the impact,\nboth in the form of reduced operational efficiency and increased social\ncosts,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
This situation also impacts the banking sector, such as rising\nnon-performing loans and companies having to bear social costs due to\ndecreased workforce productivity. Achmad said that the middle to lower\nclasses become the main targets, which further worsens existing economic\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the middle to lower class groups become the main targets, this\ncreates an even wider inequality. This group is already facing various\neconomic challenges, such as inflation, rising prices of basic\nnecessities, and difficult access to quality education. Online gambling\nonly worsens their situation, creating a poverty trap that is hard to\nescape,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Achmad emphasised the need for<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/online-gambling-transactions-continue-to-be-uncovered-payment-gateways-need-strengthening-1774774280", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }