The Minister Of Social Affairs Ensures That 571,000 Social Assistance Accounts Are Used For Online Gambling

The surprising findings were revealed from the results of a collaboration between the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). A total of 571,410 accounts of recipients of social assistance (bansos) are indicated to be used for online gambling (judol).

Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul stated that he would take firm action against the abuse and start by examining the roles of assistants to the family of hope program (PKH).

"If he joins PKH then his account is caught being used to play judol, we will check his assistant," said Gus Ipul, Thursday, July 17.

PPATK noted, throughout 2024, there were more than 7.5 million online gambling transactions from accounts belonging to social assistance recipients, with a total deposit of almost IDR 1 trillion.

This data was obtained from the matching of more than 28 million population identification numbers (NIK) for social assistance recipients with data from online gambling players. As a result, 571,410 NIK recipients of social assistance were recorded as active players in judol.

"It was really surprising. The social assistance was temporary, for basic needs, not for others, let alone judol," said Gus Ipul.

Currently, the Ministry of Social Affairs has received an official report from PPATK and is still in the process of further verification. If proven, recipients of social assistance that misuse aid will be immediately crossed out of the program. "If you commit a violation, you will not get social assistance again. We will write it out," concluded Gus Ipul.