Indonesia Calls for Stronger Protection Against Online Gambling Risks for Children
The Indonesian government announced that stronger protection mechanisms should be established against children’s exposure to online gambling activities. Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi emphasized that the risks children face in the digital environment have reached serious levels and that child protection should become one of the country’s national priorities.
Fauzi stated that, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, approximately 200,000 Indonesian children have been exposed to illegal online gambling activities. She said this situation poses a serious threat to children’s rights to live, grow, develop, and be protected from forms of exploitation in the digital space. Previously, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid had announced that around 80,000 of the children exposed to online gambling were under the age of 10. Hafid noted that online gambling deeply affects not only children but also women and families, adding that many families have lost their economic stability or faced domestic violence.
Indonesian officials stated that child protection efforts should not be left solely to law enforcement interventions, and that early prevention, education, family supervision, and continuous emotional support are also essential parts of the process. While the ministry continues to block online gambling sites, officials emphasized that they should not limit this fight to technical measures alone. According to the government, cross-sector cooperation involving the active participation of law enforcement officials, educators, parents, and digital platform operators will play a critical role in protecting children from digital risks.