Expert: Online Gambling Has Not Fulfilled The Terms As Extraordinary Crime

Illustration - Online gambling sites are commonly found in internet search engines when accessed in Denpasar, Bali, Monday (18/11/2024) (ANTARA/Dewa Ketut Sudiarta Wiguna)

JAKARTA - Criminal law expert and doctoral criminal law from the University of Indonesia Chairul Huda said online gambling did not meet the requirements to be categorized as an extraordinary crime.

Extraordinary crime is a crime that requires extraordinary measures or extraordinary actions in its eradication.

"The eradication requires special procedural law and special law enforcement," Chairul told ANTARA in Jakarta, Tuesday, November 19.

To make online gambling an extraordinary crime, eradicating online gambling requires a special court to punish the perpetrators involved.

"Therefore, I think that requirement does not exist in online gambling," said the academic at Muhammadiyah University, Jakarta.

Chairul added that online gambling is a victimless crime or a crime without victims. This means that the online gambler himself is the victim so that there is no urgency to make it extraordinary crime.

"That's why it's irrelevant for online gambling to be given such an extraordinary crime status," he added

"The problem is not the sanctions, but the awareness of the perpetrators who are at the same time victims," Chairul added.

He emphasized that the current threats or criminal penalties are sufficient to ensnare or punish dealers, perpetrators involved in the network, and players from illegal activities, so all that is needed is only to be consistent in eradicating these crimes.

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo explained that the handling of online gambling cases is ongoing throughout Indonesia, starting from the arrest of bookies, arresting individuals involved in gambling, and tracing the assets of individuals involved in online gambling.

"Everything is ongoing, when the time is of course it will be officially released," said Listyo after visiting the evacuation post for victims of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Monday (18/11).

The National Police Chief emphasized that the institution he leads will seriously eradicate online gambling cases.

In an effort to eradicate online gambling, continued Listyo, the police are collaborating with relevant ministries/agencies, such as the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in tracing the assets of the perpetrators to be confiscated and handed over to the state.