Around 2.7 million Indonesians gamble online regularly, with fund circulation of roughly 327 trillion rupiah (S$27.5 billion) in 2023 prompting a worried government to try to eradicate the vice by calling it a scam.
In its fight against the promoters of gambling sites, the Ministry of Communications and Informatics (Kominfo) took down more than 800,000 such websites in the second half of 2023 - the same number as the gambling websites that were taken down in the previous five years.
But new gambling sites have popped up just as quickly, with new names and web addresses. The government has been unable to block them as the computer servers of these sites are mostly located overseas, including in the Philippines and Cambodia, officials said.
The fund circulation, according to the government, refers to the amount of money gamblers spent and lost as well as winnings.
"Nobody could win by betting their money against a machine that is designed to always be in profit.
We are doing public campaigns to convey this message," Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said in a text-message reply to The Straits Times on May 13.
The Indonesian government is now seeking Interpol assistance and is keen to have discussions with the authorities of its two Asean neighbours to help shut down the online sites.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 15, 2024 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 15, 2024 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
KL cuts diesel subsidies, with hopes handouts will cushion inflation impact
Analysts say move could have adverse political ramifications for Anwar’s govt
Assisi Hospice to help 50% more palliative home care patients a year by end-2026
Assisi Hospice is planning to increase its patient capacity for palliative home care services by 50 per cent within the next two years, in anticipation of an increase in demand for the service due to Singapore's ageing population.
Rahul nominated as leader of India's opposition
Political scion defied analysts’ expectations to boost Congress’ election performance
Support for caregivers amid rise in number of kids with eating disorders
Programme has trained over I20 on how to better care for those on the road to recovery
Teen boys feel more supported by parents, compared with girls: Study
When Ms Tunitha Reku, 44, talks to her 15-year-old son, he is happy to give his mother just the gist of what happened in his school. However, it is different with her daughters, who are 13 and 14.
Modi sworn in as India's prime minister for third term
Reliance on coalition partners could force BJP to take more conciliatory path: Experts
Teen boys feel more supported by parents, compared with girls: Study
When Ms Tunitha Reku, 44, talks to her 15-year-old son, he is happy to give his mother just the gist of what happened in his school. However, it is different with her daughters, who are 13 and 14.
Modi sworn in as India's prime minister for third term
Reliance on coalition partners could force BJP to take more conciliatory path: Experts
Part memoir, part research on how to raise boys today
When Ruth Whippman decided to thaw one final embryo, she was 42 years old. She and her husband had two sons - Solly, then six, and Zephy, three. Their remaining embryos all had XY chromosomes too.
Southgate hopes Iceland loss banishes complacency’
Gareth Southgate insisted that England's embarrassing 1-0 defeat by Iceland in their final warmup game on June 7 ahead of Euro 2024 will serve as a reality check for his title contenders.
