TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo), Budi Arie Setiadi, said there is an online gambling emergency in Indonesia. The indication of such a phenomenon can be seen from the data produced by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center or PPATK.

Based on PPATK’s 2023 data, online gambling transactions reached Rp327 trillion. "Meanwhile, during the first quarter of 2024, the number has touched Rp100 trillion,” said Budi during a press conference via Zoom, on Friday, May 24, 2024.

"This also includes indications of money laundering," he added.

Kominfo claimed to have successfully blocked the access of 1,918,520 online gambling content from July 17, 2023 - May 22, 2024. The Ministry also submitted a request for the closure of 555 e-wallet accounts affiliated with online gambling to Bank Indonesia from October 5, 2023 - May 22, 2024.

The Ministry also proposed to block 5,364 bank accounts related to online gambling to the Financial Services Authority or OJK, from December 17, 2023 - May 22, 2024. Kominfo also took down 18,877 inserts of online gambling pages on educational sites and 22,714 inserts of gambling pages on government sites.

Additionally, Kominfo announced that it would impose fines worth Rp500 million per content for platforms uncooperative in eradicating online gambling.

AISYAH AMIRA WAKANG

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