In Indonesia, gambling is prohibited for both locals and foreigners. The government is preparing to step up its crackdown on online gambling. Indonesian Minister of Communications and Information Budi Arie Setiadi has announced the creation of a dedicated unified task force to eradicate online gambling. The proposal is part of a series of moves to crack down on gambling in the country in recent years.
Over a six-month period, Setiadi oversaw the blocking of nearly a million gambling operations in the country. The creation of this new task force marks a significant development in the country’s ongoing fight against illegal online gambling.
The task force aims to tackle illegal online gambling by promoting closer collaboration between departments and agencies. The Ministry of Communications and Information will be responsible for eliminating online gambling sites, while enforcement will be the responsibility of relevant agencies and law enforcement officials.
Global Initiative to Combat Illegal Gambling
"We will establish an integrated task force to eliminate online gambling. This form of gambling is illegal and therefore requires effective enforcement measures. The Ministry of Communications and Information will focus on withdrawing and removing online gambling websites, while enforcement will be entrusted to law enforcement officers," Setiadi said.
According to the country's laws and regulations, all forms of gambling are absolutely prohibited, whether for locals or foreigners. The government has implemented strict laws and regulations to maintain this prohibition. The only exception is licensed free lotteries, but with state-regulated online gambling operators offline, also known as interactive gambling. Despite attempts to block access to online gambling sites, these restrictions are often circumvented. There is a clear interest in gambling among the population, but the legal environment in Indonesia clearly prohibits such activities, and participants will face severe legal consequences and penalties regardless of age. Therefore, there are no other legal ways to gamble in Indonesia besides licensed free lotteries.
In other legal and regulatory developments, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reported on its action against illegal gambling during the 2023 Women's World Cup. The investigation found that a total of 18 overseas servers breached the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
This global effort to combat illegal gambling highlights the severity of the problem and the need for coordinated international action. With countries such as Indonesia and Australia both continuing to combat illegal online gambling, it is clear that the issue continues to pose a significant challenge to regulators around the world. The establishment of an integrated task force in Indonesia marks a significant development in the country’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal online gambling. As the fight against online gambling escalates, it will be interesting to watch the developments on both sides progress and their impact on the online gaming landscape in Indonesia and elsewhere.
