TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Communication and Information (Kominfo) Budi Arie Setiadi has warned celebrities and influencers not to promote online gambling. He said that the cash turnover from such online casinos is getting bigger.

“According to PPATK (Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center) data, in 2017, the circulation of money [from online gambling sites] was only Rp2 trillion, but in 2022, it has already reached Rp100 trillion. That’s 50 times higher,” Budi Arie said at the Road To Indonesia Startup Ecosystem Summit 2023 in Solo, which was broadcast live on the SME and Cooperatives Ministry’s YouTube channel on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Budi Arie also declared war on online gambling. He considered this practice causes tremendous destructive power to society.

He calculated that if a person spends Rp30,000 a day on slots, then he wastes Rp900,000 a month or Rp10.8 million a year. “Those who fall victim are poor people, such as online ojek drivers,” he added.

On Tuesday, August 8, Budi Arie said his ministry would coordinate with the police to take legal action against influencers or celebrities promoting online gambling. In fact, he claimed, several public figures had been 'executed' by the police.

He also said that the Kominfo Ministry had terminated access and taken down 886,719 online gambling applications and content, including those that resembled games, from July 2018 to August 7, 2023. On average, the ministry blocked access to 1,500-2,000 online gambling sites and applications daily.

RIRI RAHAYU | MOH. KHORY ALFARIZI

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