MP Labels Online Gambling as Digital Narcotics, Calls for Strengthened "Cyber Intelligence"

JAKARTA - An Indonesian House of Representatives member, Azis Subekti, has described cybercrimes, including online gambling (judol), as digital narcotics. While conventional narcotics damage the body, according to Azis, digital narcotics damage human consciousness. “Calling online gambling merely a game is a grave mistake. It has transformed into a form of digital narcotics, creating addiction, impairing cognitive abilities, eroding family economies, and slowly destroying social lives,” Azis stated in his remarks on Monday (11/5/2026). This Gerindra politician views the issue as indicative of modern cross-border crimes that transcend nations, identities, servers, and even human consciousness. In his opinion, Indonesia is confronting transnational cybercrime that proliferates by exploiting the explosion of digital space and the vulnerabilities of modern society. “Online gambling is just one of the most visible faces. Behind it lies a much larger dark industry, including money laundering, personal data trading, psychological manipulation, exploitation of digital algorithms, and staggering-scale illegal economic circulation,” he explained. Furthermore, he likened the effects of online gambling to narcotics whose impacts are not always immediately apparent. “It starts with a small curiosity. Small wins. Small bonuses. Then it grows into dependency. People begin to lose control over their time, money, and life decisions,” he said. “At a certain point, what is destroyed is not just bank accounts, but also self-esteem, family relationships, and even mental health,” Azis continued. Therefore, Azis is concerned that this could pose far more serious threats amid the dynamic development of digital technology. According to him, the problem cannot be adequately addressed solely by blocking sites or arresting field operators. Because every time one online gambling site is blocked, new ones emerge. “Cyber intelligence must be strengthened, including the ability to detect patterns of new domains, covert advertisements, and suspicious digital activities early on,” he emphasised. On the other hand, this Commission II House of Representatives member believes that eradicating digital narcotics cannot rely solely on law enforcement operations. Azis opines that broader collective awareness is needed. “Strong digital education, vigilant families, responsible technology platforms, healthy social spaces, and the public’s courage to realise that not everything that appears as entertainment on smartphone screens is truly just entertainment,” he added.