Strategy to Prevent Online Gambling Must Go Beyond Enforcement

Recently, the Indonesian National Police raided the office of an online gambling operator with an international network at Hayam Wuruk Plaza Tower in Jakarta. KH Jeje Zaenudin, Chairman of PP Persis, called on the government to focus more on preventive efforts against online gambling, whose advertisements are rampant in the online world accessible via smartphones.

KH Jeje Zaenudin stated that his organisation appreciates the hard work of the Indonesian National Police in successfully uncovering and dismantling an international online gambling network operating in Indonesia. He hoped the police would continue to uncover and dismantle other networks that might still be hidden.

“Since online gambling is digital-based, an important task also lies with the Ministry of Communication and Digital to seriously eradicate online gambling sites,” said Kiai Jeje to Republika on Tuesday (12/5/2026).

Kiai Jeje emphasised that as long as illegal online gambling sites continue to emerge and proliferate in advertisements on smartphones, the practice of online gambling will persist.

Therefore, Kiai Jeje conveyed that strategies for preventive steps must be continuously developed beyond enforcement measures. Because successful enforcement only punishes the perpetrators of online gambling crimes, it does not guarantee a reduction or cessation of other perpetrators, and cannot restore the enormous material losses.

“But if prevention succeeds, the risks of losses and the increase in online gambling participants will automatically be addressed,” he said.