Firm Action! Social Minister Removes 11,000 Social Aid Recipients Involved in Online Gambling

Indonesia’s Social Minister (Mensos), Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul, stated that the government has removed 11,000 families receiving social aid benefits (KPM) who were indicated to be involved in online gambling (judol). This figure, according to Gus Ipul, has seen a drastic decline compared to the previous year. “For 2026, there are more than 11,000 that we have removed in the first quarter, and for the second quarter, there are 75 KPM that we have removed,” said Gus Ipul after meeting President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, 12 May 2026. “What does this mean? It means there has been a drastic reduction in the use of social aid for online gambling purposes,” he added. He explained that the removal of names from the social aid recipient list for those indicated in online gambling is permanent. Gus Ipul mentioned that the government once gave a one-time opportunity to social aid recipients involved in online gambling. “We give one chance. Not to everyone, only to certain parties after cross-checking shows they really need it. But of course, we provide guidance so they don’t repeat it. If they repeat, we will remove them forever,” he clarified. Gus Ipul then expressed thanks to the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) for providing information on social aid recipients indicated in online gambling. He stated that the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) will soon submit the latest data on social aid recipients from BPS updates to PPATK for matching. “At the same time, it serves as a correction if there are KPM involved in that field,” explained Gus Ipul.