Indonesia Suspends 11 Officials Who Facilitated Online Gambling

The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital has suspended 11 employees who were suspected of involvement in illegal online gambling activities. Authorities believe that the workers in question might have facilitated criminal gambling in the country.

Gambling Crime Is a Serious Violation in Indonesia

According to the ministry’s official announcement, the 11 employees were arrested following their arrests by the police. Experts believe that the arrestees abused their power to allow certain online operators to do business in Indonesia.

Ade Ary Syam Indradi, Metro Jaya Police’s head of public relations, elaborated that the workers, who were responsible for identifying and blocking bad actors in the online sector, were given full power to block illegal gambling companies.

However, the employees abused their power by opting not to block certain known operators.

As a Muslim country, Indonesia has a strict stance on gambling. Despite its ban on such activities, however, illegal online gambling has taken root, attracting millions of players. The latest crackdown on the arrested ministry workers aligns with a broader effort to push back against digital crime.

The Employees May Lose Their Jobs

Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid weighed in on the matter, confirming the suspension of the 11 employees. She added that additional employees are under investigation for alleged involvement in the case.

Hafid underscored concerns about the proliferation of online gambling and reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding the law.

As for the suspended employees, the ministry said that it would impose temporary dismissal within seven days of the police’s detention notice. Further course of action will be determined depending on the results of the investigation. If employees are convicted of a felony, they are likely to lose their jobs at the ministry.   

The Ministry of Communication and Digital concluded that it will continue to monitor the situation and will take further action accordingly. The ministry vowed to maintain transparency and provide updates to media outlets and the public.

A few days ago, a ministry employee was detained because of similar concerns. Back then, officials promised that the enforcement of the law “will be carried out firmly and without favoritism against anyone involved.”