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View all search resultsBansos recipients found to be on list of online gamblers
Half of a million social aid recipients were found on a list of online gamblers, according to a recent analysis by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).
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People look at online gambling websites on a smartphone in Bogor, West Java, on May 30, 2024. (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya)
B
eing the oldest child in a poor family of three, Diana has for years relied on the Rp 600,000 (US$36.95) cash transfer disbursed under the government’s social assistance (Bansos) to help cover basic expenses.
The 28-year-old has a monthly income of up to Rp 3.5 million from managing an online gambling group and promoting codes that offer free bets and bonuses for customers, which she runs from her home in Purworejo, Central Java.
But the money is sometimes not enough to feed the family, forcing her to look for side income. Among the places Diana relies on is the online gambling website and three months ago she set aside around Rp 200,000 with the expectation of winning big for a quick financial gain. But she only won a tiny bonus from the wager.
“I’m ashamed of what I did. But after all, I’m still financially eligible for social aid,” Diana told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Diana may not be the only social aid recipient who has spent some of the money obtained from the government on online gambling.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) recently revealed that identity card numbers (NIK) of at least 571,000 social assistance recipients were listed among those allegedly participating in online gambling in the country.
The agency made the finding after cross-examining the 28.4 million NIK of social aid recipients with 9.7 million identification numbers of people allegedly using online gambling services in 2024.
