149 West Java Water Resources Agency Civil Servants Involved in Online Gambling, Highest in Provincial Government

A total of 149 state civil servants (ASN) within the West Java Water Resources Agency (Dinas SDA) have been indicated as being involved in online gambling practices. The agency’s head, Dikky Achmad Sidik, admitted he was shocked upon receiving the report, detailing that 21 of the individuals are civil servants (PNS) while the remainder are Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK), predominantly part-time workers. “I was shocked to hear it, there are 149 people with 21 PNS, and the rest are PPPK, where the majority are part-time PPPK,” Dikky said when confirmed on Tuesday (21/7/2026). In response to the findings, Dikky immediately gathered his staff for a special assembly. He stressed that involvement in online gambling constitutes a severe disciplinary violation that threatens their careers. Strict sanctions are being prepared in accordance with Government Regulation Number 94 of 2021 concerning PNS Discipline. For employees with PPPK status, the consequence could be termination of their employment contract. “Because there is automatically an agreement, if considered, the agreement can be terminated. That is what I conveyed during the assembly,” he asserted. Although personal identities have not been disclosed publicly, Dikky noted that the psychological impact is already being felt by the employees, with many experiencing panic and sleeplessness due to fear of losing their jobs. Based on further examinations by direct supervisors within the Water Resources Agency, various confessions have emerged. Some employees claimed they did not play directly, but that their bank accounts were borrowed by family members. Another modus operandi involved employees acting solely as intermediaries, helping to send other people’s money to gambling sites in exchange for a commission. This method is suspected to have significantly inflated the transaction values. Generally, the employees’ involvement began out of curiosity due to exposure to online advertisements, with game algorithms providing initial wins that eventually trapped them in addiction. The West Java Provincial Government is continuing its investigation to ensure that guidance measures and disciplinary enforcement proceed in accordance with applicable regulations.