MP Questions Why Children Can Easily Access Online Gambling Sites
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Chairman of Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament, Marwan Dasopang, questioned the weak supervision of access to online gambling sites, after data emerged showing that nearly 200,000 children in Indonesia have been exposed to the practice.
“That’s why we need to question why children are being exposed? Why is it so easy for children to access these sites?” said Marwan when contacted by Kompas.com, Friday (15/5/2026).
According to him, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) should not only release data on children exposed to online gambling, but also disclose the supervisory and enforcement measures taken.
“If so, Komdigi should not only release the data, but also disclose the attitude or measures that will be taken by Komdigi so that it is not easily accessible to children,” explained Marwan.
Therefore, he asked the ministry to take full responsibility for the widespread access to online gambling among children.
“It is the ministry that can lock, open, and even close access. It is up to them,” said the PKB politician.
“Now it’s not just the poor, but even children are being exposed. I want to ask what steps Komdigi is taking? It is the source. Meanwhile, the consequences are passed on to us,” said Marwan.
Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, revealed that nearly 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, Wednesday (13/5/2026).
For this reason, Meutya said that all parties must be the vanguard of education, remind each other, and protect our families and children from the widespread illegal practice.
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 down content. The most important thing is to reach the wider community with these facts, so that awareness grows from within families and communities,” she said.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, continued Meutya, continues to block online gambling sites and content. However, she believes that these efforts need to be strengthened through cross-sectoral cooperation.
“We will continue to fight access. But if the perpetrators are not dealt with firmly, new sites will continue to appear. Therefore, we need full support from the National Police, PPATK, OJK, banking, and all digital platforms,” she said.
Meutya also highlighted the increasing number of online gambling advertisements on social media, which are becoming more aggressive in targeting users in Indonesia. Komdigi is said to have asked digital platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube to be more active in removing online gambling-related content.
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