Digital platforms must prevent online gambling promotions in comment sections: Observer
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Cybersecurity observer Alfons Tanjava has emphasised that digital platform providers must adhere to existing regulations regarding the prohibition of online gambling, including preventing the use of social media comment sections to promote online gambling sites.
According to him, the Ministry of Communication and Digital can pressure social media platforms to participate proactively in the eradication of online gambling, as they are registered as Electronic System Providers (PSE) conducting business in Indonesia.
“As PSEs, they are obliged to follow Indonesian laws that prohibit gambling activities and their promotion,” Alfons stated in a press release in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He made this statement following the surge in comments containing online gambling promotions on social media platforms during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Automated bots are deployed to create responses containing promotions for online gambling sites on viral posts with high levels of engagement.
According to Alfons, the prevalence of online gambling promotions in comment sections indicates that the operational space for online gambling operators is narrowing after the government tightened supervision of digital platforms, including through the implementation of biometric-based registration rules for prepaid SIM cards starting 1 July 2026.
Due to difficulties in reaching targets via websites or SMS, perpetrator networks have shifted to utilising comment sections on social media platforms as promotional channels.
Alfons noted that digital platform providers actually possess the technical capability to recognise unusual activity patterns, including the activity of thousands of bot accounts originating from the same network. The ability to identify IP addresses, automated behaviour, and account coordination patterns could be vital assets in stopping the spread of online gambling promotional content before comments reach more users.
“Eradication is not enough by just deleting content. The perpetrator networks must also be severed,” said Alfons.
In addition to taking action in digital spaces, Alfons stated that the strategy of tracking fund flows is also crucial in the effort to break the networks of online gambling operators. According to him, synergy between the Ministry of Communication and Digital, the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) needs to be strengthened to track the fund flows of online gambling networks.
Findings of spam comments on social media in the last two weeks were recorded to have increased by approximately 128 per cent compared to the average findings throughout January to June 2026.
The Director General of Digital Space Supervision at the Ministry of Communication and Digital, Alexander Sabar, said that online gambling networks utilise automated systems to monitor social media in real-time. When a post begins to go viral, thousands of bot accounts will automatically flood the comment sections with promotions or links to online gambling sites.
According to Alexander, the surge in activity was also influenced by the momentum of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was exploited by international networks to increase promotions for sports betting.
Alexander emphasised that efforts to maintain digital space security require collaboration from all parties. The active role of digital platform providers as system managers is needed to realise a safe digital space. Furthermore, the public is requested to participate in the efforts to eradicate online gambling by not participating in the spread of content that promotes online gambling and by immediately reporting suspicious content.