Kemenkominfo Break Access 124 Thousand Online Gambling Content, Prepare Blacklist For Affiliated Bank Accounts

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) continues to handle and take action against disturbing online gambling in Indonesia by regularly cutting off web access to prepare a blacklist for bank accounts affiliated with online gambling.

Director General of Applications and Information (Dirjen APTIKA) of the Ministry of Communication and Information, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said that the latest steps to cut off access to websites and content containing gambling throughout July-September 2023 had been carried out on 124,439 content.

"Overall from 2018 to September 6, 2023, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics has terminated site access and taken down 938,106 content and gambling sites," Semuel said in a statement quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 6.

The content was found on various websites, content sharing platforms, and on social media.

In addition, the Ministry of Communication and Information also monitors government websites that are infiltrated by illegal content.

From January 1, 2022 to September 6, 2023, 9,052 government sites were found containing gambling content.

"In that time, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics has ordered the management of the government website to remove gambling content on the website it manages," said Semuel.

Furthermore, in accordance with the spirit to surround the practice of gamblingline in Indonesia, the Ministry of Communication and Information also intensified the search for accounts that were allegedly affiliated with the perpetrators' networks.

Based on the search from July 23, 2023 to September 6, it was found that there were 8,823 contacts and accounts suspected of being affiliated with the gambling network.

"The Ministry of Communication and Informatics has also asked banks to block or participate in a blacklist of 176 bank accounts suspected of being involved in online gambling activities during August 2023," said Semuel.

Previously, in addition to preparing direct handling of eradicating gamblingline affiliated websites, the Ministry of Communication and Information also stated that digital talent training was the key and preventive measures to prevent the increasing number of victims from this illegal practice.

"We continue to formulate digital literacy programs. So this is part of the advancement of digital technology, gambling is also digital. That we will continue to carry out digital literacy for the public using this digital progress with more positive things," said Minister of Communication and Information Budi ArieSetiadi in Jakarta, Tuesday (8/8).

In addition to targeting the general public who are often the object of developers of websites and gambling applications, the Ministry of Communication and Information will also educate influencers to public figures not to promote negative content.