Amstrong Sembiring Questioning The Involvement Of Artists Who Are Suspected Of Participating In Online Gambling Promotions

JAKARTA - Allegations of artist involvement in promoting online gambling have returned to the public spotlight. Moreover, those involved are big names in the Indonesian entertainment industry.

Call it Wulan Guritno, who had to undergo police investigations due to his online gambling promotion video in 2020 which was circulating again. In addition, the names of three artists who are also Babeleg in the upcoming 2024 General Election, Denny Cagur, Gilang Dirga and Vicky Prasetyo also appeared.

Responding to what happened, JJ Amstrong Sembiring as a legal practitioner stated that online gambling promotion activities were included as a criminal act that had been regulated within the Criminal Code.

"In Indonesia, people who commit online gambling actors can be charged with Article 303 of the Criminal Code concerning Gambling and Article 27 paragraph 2 in conjunction with Article 45 paragraph 2 of the ITE Law, which explains the provisions that every person who intentionally and without rights distributes, transmits and/or makes accessible electronic information and/or electronic documents that have the content of gambling shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of six years and/or a maximum fine of IDR 1 billion," JJ Amstrong Sembiring said when contacted by the media crew, Saturday, September 30.

It was also explained that regarding gambling, it was regulated in several regulations, such as Article 303 of the Criminal Code, Law Number 7 of 1974 concerning Control of Gambling and Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions.

Amstrong explained that all forms of gambling and gambling should not be advertised, either clearly or disguised.

"So, for short, to advertise, we just take for example the ball prediction website by displaying banners on the website, there are links that lead to gambling. That is something that is prohibited and should not be advertised," he said.

Amstrong itself has also questioned the growth of online gambling which has increased rapidly lately. Especially. They have a wide network with various kinds of creations and innovations.

"That's why it's not surprising that the confession of a number of artists accused of promoting online gambling, admits that they think of it as a game. Because of an appearance that could be fraudulent," said Amstrong Sembiring.

According to Amstrong, hard work is needed to overcome the problem of online gambling in Indonesia. There is a big homework that must be done by involving many parties.

In order to anticipate online gambling which has continued to increase from year to year is a big challenge, because the gambling site can be re-produced by naming a similar domain or using an IP Address. Likewise in terms of gambling offers through personal messages so that it cannot be monitored by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics," said JJ Amstrong Sembiring.

"Especially in terms of law enforcement where gambling activities are regulated differently in each country. This raises the issue of jurisdictional action against online gambling operators outside Indonesia. These obstacles are big homework for Indonesia," he concluded.