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New communications minister pledges to ramp up fight against online gambling
The Communications and Information Ministry has blocked nearly 850,000 online gambling activities since 2018, around 11,300 of which were blocked the week Budi Arie Setiadi was inaugurated as the new communications minister.
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Illustration of online gambling. (Shutterstock/Audio und werbung)
Less than a week after being inducted into President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s Cabinet, Budi Arie Setiadi announced one of his priorities as the new communications and information minister: eradicating rampant online gambling.
The communications ministry would continue taking strict measures against online gambling content and any related parties that accommodate the illegal activity, the minister said during a press briefing on Thursday.
Gambling is prohibited in Indonesia. Anyone caught organizing and participating in gambling activities can face up to 10 years in prison and a Rp 25 million (US$1,663) fine as stipulated in Article 303 of the Criminal Code (KUHP). Meanwhile, the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law mandates a punishment of six years behind bars and Rp 1 billion fines for people found guilty of distributing online gambling.
The ministry has worked on blocking access to nearly 850,000 online gambling activities since 2018, with around 11,300 pieces of content blocked this week as Budi was appointed the new minister. Nearly 1,900 bank accounts were also reported for being allegedly connected to online gambling practices, Budi said.
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