Embrace Children So They Don't Get Trapped In Online Gambling

JAKARTA - Based on research from the Massussets Of Public Health, gambling addiction can begin to occur in children aged 10 years. So parents and caregivers need to understand the risks and ways that children avoid online gambling from an early age.

The role of parents becomes very important in suppressing the rise of online gambling among adolescents and children. But unfortunately, parents are often faced with the problem of stuttering for technology, although many parents turn their devices into second caregivers.

The rise of online gambling in children is indicated to come from streaming game content which often openly promotes slot gambling sites. PPATK found 2.7 million Indonesians involved in online gambling, with 2.1 million of them coming from the community with the profession of housewives and students with income below Rp100 thousand.

What is the strategy so that people are not easily influenced by hoaxes, seductions, and online gambling lure? Therefore, the Ministry of Communications and Informatics held a Digital Literacy Obral, on Friday, May 10, 2024, which raised the topic "Child Embraces, Prevents Online Gambling in Children."

The issue of the proliferation of online gambling that absorbs into children's lives causes unrest. Therefore, parents must be aware of issues in the digital space, so that parents can properly convey the risk communication of using gadgets in children, and children can understand what they are facing with a good response, what their benefits and disadvantages are like.

According to Diena Haryana as the Cybercreation Steering Committee, Digital Literacy Activist & Founder of Sejiwa, parents must be observant about their children's behavior. If children have an addiction to gadgets, they can be seen that they usually have unusual behavior, such as being reluctant to study, not being interested in doing activities outside the home, to causing financial harm.

Therefore, Diena emphasized that children need to be taught to build personal branding from an early age, so that children know the vision and mission in their life.

"So, children can have good personal branding, so they don't become the target of negative comments in the digital space," said Diena.

Not only that, Dinana also emphasized that the children involved in online gambling will actually add to the psychological burden in the community, because gambling actors are increasing.

According to Nurul Qomariah, as a psychologist, parents need to always be present in children's growth and development by observing involvement, because children show what they need through their behavior. Nurul added that 10-year-old children are having high adrenaline to learn, so it's no wonder if they are not controlled they can try to do activities that cause addiction and are stuck in negative things.

So, children can grow up with a negative point of view on themselves. Parents must be present in full, and not just beside children.

"It would be nice if we give time to tell what he likes. Because if the child is trusted by us as a parent or caregiver, it will be easy for him to tell what he likes," said Nurul.

Ai Maryati Solihah as Chair of KPAI, highlighted that the addiction of online gambling to children has become a increasingly worrying public issue. If a child has been addicted to online gambling, support from parents must be more optimal in the recovery process.

"This is where there are often judges and discrimination languages, even angry and desperate for children to be avoided. Because, child acceptance of parents is very important," said Ai Maryati.

Parents must also seek outside efforts, such as for parents and children from local governments, which are also important factors in recovering children from negative subjects such as online gambling. KPAI finds a negative ecosystem in children caused by misuse of technology and social media, such as the child's desire to commit suicide, children dealing with the law, to economic exploitation.

"Parents are role models for children, so they must have skills and be wise in using technology," added Ai Maryati.

Parents are the main door to communication in building agreements with children in using gadgets, so that children are not exposed to the misuse of negative content in cyberspace.