The public doubts the Indonesian government’s commitment to eradicating online gambling, alleging selective treatment by the police towards different demographics, and calling for stronger crackdowns on online gambling.
Jakarta—In recent years, the issue of online gambling has become increasingly serious in Indonesia, drawing widespread public attention and skepticism. Many believe that the government’s approach to eradicating online gambling (judol) is not serious enough, particularly regarding the police’s selective enforcement in cases involving public figures and minor influencers.
Police investigations continue, and reports have emerged that 15 staff members from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Komdigi) are under investigation for their alleged involvement in judol activities. Among them, 11 are employees of Komdigi, while four are external individuals. These individuals are suspected of abusing their power by deliberately failing to block online gambling websites for personal gain. This situation has led the public to question the government’s commitment to tackling online gambling, perceiving a clear bias in enforcement.
Recently, a TikToker from Sukabumi, Gunawan Sadbor, was arrested for promoting online gambling. Although he was eventually released, the incident sparked significant public reaction. Many began to wonder why, if Gunawan Sadbor could be swiftly apprehended, other well-known individuals in the country remain at large. For instance, Denny Cagur, a member of the House of Representatives’ Committee X and an artist, was questioned by police over allegations of promoting online gambling. He stated in the parliament building that he followed the rules and attended the inquiry as a good representative of the nation, mentioning that 27 other artists were also summoned by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
The issue of online gambling was prioritized for resolution within the first 100 days of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. Several senior officials have pledged to do their utmost to eradicate judol to demonstrate the government’s resolve. The Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Budi Gunawan, even established a special unit led by the Chief of the National Police, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to specifically address online gambling. Since then, the police have conducted multiple arrests, including apprehending a female student in Medan for downloading judol via social media.
Despite some arrests made in connection with online gambling, the public remains disheartened. Denny Cagur acknowledged that the follow-up status of 27 artists is still unclear. He pointed out that at least four artists’ names are linked to online gambling, raising doubts about the fairness of law enforcement. Bambang Rukminto, an observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), noted that the police’s attitude towards cases involving public figures is markedly different. He remarked that while police can quickly identify suspects when it comes to minor influencers, enforcement appears sluggish in cases involving well-known artists.
Bambang’s perspective has sparked widespread discussion, as he argues that the law should remain consistent when addressing different social strata, especially in combating issues like online gambling. Minor influencers and well-known artists bear similar responsibilities when promoting judol websites to the public; however, the police display a clear double standard in handling these cases. Bambang called for the police to trace the upstream promoters of online gambling and reveal the true backers rather than merely addressing surface-level offenses.
Amid public skepticism regarding the government’s commitment to eradicating online gambling, many hope to see a fairer and more transparent enforcement process, rather than merely accountability for select individuals. Only through thorough investigations that uncover the real profit chain behind online gambling can this social issue be effectively addressed and public trust in the government restored.
