Online Gambling is an Extraordinary Crime, the Bandits and Mafia Must Be Impoverished!

Suspects of Komdigi employees who were arrested in the online Judi case arrived at Soetta Airport, Mingu November 10, 2024 (Ist)

JAKARTA - Online gambling (judol) is a form of extraordinary crime because it has a broad impact on the lives of society and the life of the nation and state. Parties that facilitate online gambling must be impoverished, such as online gambling bookies and mafia.

"In my opinion, online gambling is no longer an ordinary crime, but has developed into an extraordinary crime because it greatly affects the joints of the community's life sector, even the state," said Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR), Abdullah, Monday, November 11.

The legislator for Central Java Electoral District VI INI also agrees with the application of the Money Laundering Crime (TPPU) article to the perpetrators who facilitate judol.

As is known, the Police will apply the Money Laundering Crime (TPPU) article to the suspects in the judol case involving employees of the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi). Currently, a total of 18 suspects have been arrested in the case, 10 of whom are Komdigi employees, and the rest are civilians.

These suspects abused their authority by regulating the blocking of online gambling. Several online gambling sites that deposit money are still open to access by the suspects.

Most recently, Polda Metro Jaya arrested 2 more suspects on Sunday (10/11) yesterday with the initials MN and DM. Suspect MN is the liaison between the bookies and the other suspects, such as depositing money and listing websites to be kept from being blocked. Meanwhile, suspect DM played a role in helping MN's crimes, including collecting money from the crime.

"We hope that the police will continue to develop the investigation of this case. Go after the bookies, because they are the ones who have the power to control online gambling," said Abdullah.

A member of the Commission in the DPR in charge of law enforcement also said that impoverishing the drug lords was necessary to have an effect deterrent for the facilitators of judol. Abdullah also asked the Police to cooperate with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to investigate where the money from the crime of judol is managed.

"The implementation of the application of TPPU must also be monitored together to ensure that the punishment imposed can be optimal for the perpetrators of judol crimes," he said.

In this case, Abdullah also reminded the importance of closer collaboration between the police, other law enforcement agencies, Komdigi, and related ministries/institutions so that every crime that is revealed receives strict and comprehensive sanctions.

"Of course, cooperation and support from other agencies are also needed, especially from the prosecutor's office so that the handling of this case can be clear. And make sure law enforcement is carried out professionally and transparently," added Abdullah.

Abdullah stated that there are many intersections of the judol phenomenon. Starting from social impacts such as threatening family resilience, economic impacts due to the circulation of money to judol making players go into debt, to mental health and criminal problems.

"The dealers are targeting our society from the lower middle class by playing on their psychological side. First, they are made to win, then their money is drained. Many people end up in debt or borrowing money because of this gambling,” Abdullah explained.

“We also find that gambling causes rifts in family harmony, to the point that some people are willing to kill or injure their own family because they want to get money to play gambling,” he added.

Another thing that is no less serious, according to Abdullah, is how gambling, which is often packaged like an online game, is a threat to the nation’s young generation.

Based on the PPATK report, children exposed to online gambling in Indonesia has increased by 300%. In fact, throughout this year, PPATK reported that more than 197,000 children were involved in gambling. Children exposed to online gambling are in the age range of 11-19 years.

“That’s why I said that gambling is already an extraordinary crime because it has robbed children of their rights,” Abdullah said.