200,000 Children Exposed to Online Gambling, Says MP: A Deep Social Crisis
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the DPR, Dave Laksono, said that the finding that 200,000 Indonesian children have been exposed to online gambling is a serious alarm for the nation.
According to Dave, online gambling is not just a violation of the law, but a serious threat to the future of the next generation.
“When children who should be growing up with education, creativity, and national values are instead caught up in illegal practices, we face the risk of a deep social crisis,” Dave told Kompas.com on Friday (15/5/2026).
Dave emphasised that the digital space should be a place for learning and developing potential, not a place that damages morals and the future of the nation’s children.
He reminded that law enforcement must be carried out without compromise because it concerns the protection of the younger generation.
“In addition to law enforcement, digital literacy and public education are key. Parents, schools, and communities must be involved in building a collective awareness that online gambling is a poison that destroys the future. Indonesia has a moral and geopolitical responsibility to show that this nation is able to keep the digital space healthy, safe, and productive,” he said.
Dave is optimistic that with synergy between the government, Commission I of the DPR, law enforcement officials, and the public, this threat can be reduced.
“So that Indonesian children grow up as a smart, character-filled generation, and are ready to face global challenges,” added Dave.
Previously, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid revealed that almost 200,000 children in Indonesia have been exposed to online gambling, including about 80,000 children under the age of 10, which is a serious alarm for the future of the younger generation.
“Online gambling is a scam where the system ensures that players almost always lose in the long run,” said Meutya, at the Indonesia GOID event in Medan on Wednesday (13/5/2026).
According to Meutya, combating online gambling is not enough just by cutting off access and taking legal action, but it is also necessary to strengthen digital literacy and public awareness.
“We are not just blocking access or taking things down. The most important thing is to reach the wider community with these facts, so that awareness grows from within families and communities,” she said.
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