Ministry of Communication and Digital Strengthens Movement Against Increasingly Troublesome Online Gambling
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid has urged the public to strengthen collective awareness in combating online gambling (judol), which is seen as increasingly troublesome and threatening family resilience as well as the future of the younger generation.
This call was made during the IGID Menyapa event themed “Gaspol Tolak Judol, Jauhi Judol – Anak Medan Pilih Masa Depan, Bukan Judi Online” held in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday.
“This is why it is important to convey that this problem is extraordinarily large. The government is present because it understands that this issue cannot be resolved alone,” said Meutya Hafid in an official statement received in Jakarta.
Meutya revealed that the number of children exposed to online gambling reaches nearly 200,000 people, with around 80,000 of them aged under 10 years.
According to Meutya, addressing online gambling is not sufficient through access closures and site blockings alone, but also requires strengthening digital literacy and direct education to the public about the negative impacts of online gambling.
“Online gambling is actually a scam or online fraud,” she stressed.
Meutya explained that the Ministry of Communication and Digital has the task of disconnecting access and taking action against online gambling content, but eradicating such practices requires cross-sectoral cooperation, including the police, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), the Financial Services Authority (OJK), banking, and digital platforms such as social media.
On the same occasion, the Director General of Public Communication and Media at the Ministry of Communication and Digital, Fifi Aleyda Yahya, emphasised that the movement against online gambling requires the involvement of all elements of society.
“We all must stand together against online gambling. Medan children choose the future, not online gambling,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Medan, Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas, stated that online gambling has become a serious threat attacking all layers of society.
“Online gambling cannot possibly win because it is already rigged. What happens instead is the destruction of finances, families, and the social lives of the community,” he said.
He also urged the public to strengthen family communication and reduce excessive dependence on gadget use to avoid the negative influences of the digital world.