PKB Asks Online Gambling To Enter The Extraordinary Crime Category

Chairman of the PKB faction of the DPR RI Jazilul Fawaid. BETWEEN/Rio Feisal.

JAKARTA - The National Awakening Party (PKB) urges the government to categorize online gambling as an extraordinary crime.

"From the classification, we assess that online gambling deserves to be designated as an extraordinary crime. Thus, the intensity of handling can be more comprehensive, both in terms of foundation, law, operations, and evaluation," said Chairman of the PKB faction of the DPR RI Jazilul Fawaid in his statement, Monday, November 18, confiscated by Antara.

Gus Jazil, Jazilul Fawaid's nickname, said online gambling has characteristics that can be categorized as an extraordinary crime, which is carried out systematically or in an organized manner, providing huge social and economic losses, triggering mental impairment for victims.

He considered that the increasingly troubling online gambling cases in Indonesia were confirmed to be carried out systematically and organized. According to him, this is evidenced by the continued growth of gambling sites even though the blocking continues. In addition, this crime also involves various groups, from dealers, influencers (influentials), operators, to state officials.

"The disclosure of the involvement of individuals from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemenkomdigi), which should be at the forefront of eradicating online gambling, is a strong indication that this crime is carried out systematically and organized," he said.

Gus Jazil also revealed that online gambling also has a major impact on the emergence of crime for its users. He gave an example of a father who had the heart to sell his son for Rp. 15 million for online gambling.

"Hundreds of people are also being treated in psychiatric rooms of hospitals due to depression or mental disorders due to online gambling," he said.

Therefore, according to him, if online gambling is classified as an extraordinary crime, it can have a major impact on its eradication efforts.

He also suggested that the government create a special task force with wider authorities in an effort to hunt down organized online bookies and gambling operators, including hunting down individuals who are backing online bookies.

"This task force can also carry out international cooperation with other state law enforcement officers because usually online gambling operations are carried out across countries," he said.