OJK: Eradicating Online Gambling Requires More Than Just Blocking
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has stated that handling online gambling should not stop at merely blocking access to sites and accounts, but must encompass the entire chain. Chief Executive of Banking Supervision Dian Ediana Rae emphasised that the mechanism for inter-agency coordination must be strengthened, as this remains a challenge faced by various parties in tackling online gambling. Other challenges include the integration of systems between institutions, which is still not running comprehensively. Information exchange between the Ministry of Communication and Digital, OJK, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), Bank Indonesia, law enforcement, and the financial services industry still requires various administrative stages, meaning it is not yet fully automatic or real-time. This condition provides room for perpetrators to move funds and change their modus operandi before optimal supervision can be carried out.
Furthermore, the use of analytical technology and artificial intelligence has not been optimised. A joint supervisory dashboard, transaction network analysis, and risk-based monitoring would provide better capabilities to identify suspicious transaction patterns, detect mule accounts, and cut off the flow of funds from online gambling more quickly and accurately. Technical challenges also persist, such as perpetrators rapidly changing site addresses and domains, the use of servers outside Indonesian jurisdiction, and the utilisation of VPNs and encrypted applications. The variety of digital payment instruments, including e-wallets, virtual accounts, and crypto assets, further complicates the identification, tracking, and recovery of criminal assets.
Dian stated that the OJK is currently developing supervisory tools utilising artificial intelligence to identify information on accounts used for online gambling, including the identities of account holders. However, he stressed that the success of eradicating online gambling will ultimately be determined not by technological sophistication alone, but by strong synergy, shared commitment, and collaboration among all stakeholders. He also issued a stern warning to the public about the serious consequences of being involved in the buying and selling of accounts, noting that individuals involved will be placed on a blacklist within the OJK’s system, which will have fatal repercussions on their access to financial services.