Indonesian Government Crack Down On Online Gambling Accounts
Author:
Jacob McKenzie
The Indonesian state sends a very clear message to all online gambling users after reports confirm that over 500,000 accounts have been suspended. The government’s recent activity has been extremely thorough and harsh in some cases, with individuals being heavily fined if they’re found to have excessively used an online betting platform. Many residents of Jakarta and other major cities have complained to local councils in order to ask why this has happened, but they have been unable to respond to the vast majority of inquests. The future of online betting isn’t looking good for Indonesians, as many will be unable to play as long as they remain in the country.
The Indonesian government are determined to extinguish the rising popularity of online gambling. Over the last four years, they have suspended over 500,000 accounts to prevent an increase in usage. ?besteonlinecasinos/Pixabay
A senior spokesperson from the Indonesian government has been making public appearances to clarify current events and put everyone at ease. Appearing on various TV and radio publications, the minister addressed the issues surrounding online gambling in the country while also taking the opportunity to utilize statistics to back up the point. He felt it was extremely important to do this as the massive amount of confusion that had arisen was becoming a problem. The backlash from social media has said it all, as many nationals aren’t happy with how the government has handled the situation.
Over the last four years, over 500,000 accounts have been suspended due to harsher guidelines from the Indonesian government, which are keen to lay waste to the growing popularity of online betting. The live casino platforms have become bigger than ever, and the state views it as a threat to national sovereignty and also damaging to disposable income levels. They believe that gambling has direct links to a decline in the quality of living in the country, while many argue that the government is looking for a scapegoat to blame for the recent economic troubles the country is facing.
Not only them but the whole of Asia is under a lot of economic pressure, including Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, and many smaller islands whose tourist industries have suffered a massive drop in interest due to the global pandemic. Indonesia is no different, and they are still recovering from the vast lockdowns that put a stop to regular business and forced everyone to stay indoors. Lockdown was a massive reason for the rise in online gambling. While everyone stayed at home, live casino platforms became hugely popular. Most of the accounts banned over the last four years have been in the second half due to a massive increase since the middle of 2020.
Gambling has been illegal for a number of years under Indonesian article 303, which prevents any land-based and online gambling activities from taking place. Despite these measures, many players have been able to access offshore casino websites and have been using these while the local government has illegalised them. A new batch of measures is set to clarify the recent bans and make their legal requirements. Parliament members are set to vote on these new legislative measures next month, and the likeliest outcome will result in online gambling accounts being banned indefinitely.
The Off-Shore Gambling Problem
Governments around Asia have been working hard to prevent the use of offshore gambling websites as they can become a massive problem for the safety and security of the people who interact with them. While a great number of platforms are perfectly safe with all necessary security measures in place, a small handful cannot provide the top range of internet security and can pose a risk for any users who enter personal data onto these sites. For example, they can be hacked, and all the user’s private information is then leaked onto the internet somewhere.
This is a massive reason why the Indonesian government are keen to end this increase in online gambling, as they believe it can jeopardise its players’ safety. It can have a big social impact while also threatening the finances of users and those connected to them, such as their immediate family. While most players are responsible, a small minority do abuse the service and spend more than they can afford on things like live casino games, which can be dangerous in many aspects of the social food chain.
The government is now working to assess already registered platforms to ensure they are what they say they are. While online gambling remains illegal, they are trying to make sure that any new players, if they do manage to set up an account, can do it on a site they have deemed legitimate and taxable. One big reason to allow online betting is that the government tax it heavily, and many states around the world do this. The United States, for example, make billions every year from taxing things such as casinos, cigarettes, and fuel.
The National Police chief of Indonesia, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, recently ordered a mission for all his officers. He wants online gambling to be eradicated from the country completely, and nothing will stop his division from achieving this goal. Recently, eight suspects were arrested in a Jakarta residence, accused of managing and operating an online gambling platform from which they had significantly profited. They were also hiring customer service managers to deal with players, all of this is extremely illegal, and all of the individuals arrested are expected to serve time in jail as well as hefty fines.
