Ministry Blocks 32 Sites Facilitating Online Gambling
Published: Thursday, August 8, 2024 – 8:30 PM WIB
Image: Illustration of online gambling. Photo: Kominfo
JAKARTA – The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) has blocked 32 websites that provide credit conversion services to rupiah related to online gambling.
This announcement was made by Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Budi Arie Setiadi on Thursday (August 8) at the Ministry’s office in Central Jakarta.
“The blocking is effective immediately. We cannot tolerate this behavior and urge all stakeholders to join us in eradicating online gambling,” said Budi Arie Setiadi.
The Minister explained that online gambling negatively impacts the socio-economic conditions of lower-income communities by disrupting household economies.
The blocking action is based on Government Regulation (PP) Number 71 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Electronic Systems and Transactions (PSTE). Article 6 of this regulation exempts providers from the obligation to register as Payment Service Providers (PSEs) that offer credit-to-money conversion services.
The regulation also specifies a penalty in the form of service termination for providers suspected of facilitating online gambling transactions.
Budi Arie emphasized the need for a comprehensive and consistent approach to eradicate online gambling, beyond just awareness campaigns.