PPATK: Online Gamblers Are Mainly From the Lower-Middle Class

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - When Ivan Yustiavandana came to the meeting with the Legal Commission at the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday, June 6, he came with piles of comprehensive data on online gambling players. So, the Chief of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) held nothing back when he was asked about the involvement of legislators in illegal activities. From the results of tracking 63,000 transactions worth Rp25 billion (around US$1.56 million), the PPATK found that more than 1,000 legislators were among online gamblers.

These statistics are a small part of the PPATK’s analysis. Ivan said the majority of online players came from the lower middle class with a monthly income of no more than Rp1 million (US$62.5). In total, their transaction value amounts to Rp650 billion (US$40.62 million). “The total number of players is over 100,000,” he said.

Ivan added that gamblers’ backgrounds or professions had no bearing on their gambling habit. Gamblers with civil servant backgrounds, he said, were recorded to have made deposits worth Rp250 billion (US$15.62 million). The same holds for private sector employees and the state apparatus such as members of the Indonesian Military and the National Police. “They come from all layers of society”, he said.

Ivan sat down with Tempo reporters, Sunudyantoro, Linda Trianita, Yosea Arga Pramudita and Amelia Rahima Sari, at the PPATK office in Central Jakarta, on Thursday, July 4. During the over one-hour-long interview, he was accompanied by the acting Deputy for Analysis and Inspection, Danang Tri Hartono, and three members of a special team that tackles online gambling. Excerpts:

You said thousands of legislative members play online gambling. Whoever are they?

That’s a total national figure that includes members of the DPR, the regional legislative councils and secretariat staff. The total is more than 1,000.

What action has been taken?

We’ve submitted the names to the DPR’s Honorary Council. Hadi Tjahjanto as the Head of the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force has sent or handed over the list.

Are there any other institutions involved?

Deposits from civil servants amounted to Rp250 billion. It is estimated that there are around 14,000 players with civil servant backgrounds. There’s no data yet on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) employees because it is mixed with that of private sector employees, the total number of which reached 1,100.

Have any of your employees been found to be gambling online?

None because we asked all our colleagues at the PPATK to sign a stamped statement that they would not be engaged in online gambling. They are ready to be sanctioned if they are. Everyone, from the leadership to the office boys, has to sign the statement.

Is it effective?

We consider it as a standard commitment and integrity for all PPATK staff members. At least, we first try to find out within the scope of the agency. That’s the message we want to convey to the public.

Online gambling has become rampant among military and police personnel. How massive are cases in these institutions?

Cases have indeed exploded. Recent phenomena, such as, excuse me, suicides and domestic violence, are the culmination of months of accumulated problems. They were no longer in the trial-and-error phase but became addicted to gambling and trapped in debt. Their money has run out, leading to these recent incidents.

Read the Full Interview in Tempo English Magazine