Government Intensifies Socialization and Education to Eliminate Online Gambling Addiction
By: Aditya Akbar )*
The government continues to intensify socialization and education to eliminate the community’s dependence on online gambling, especially among students. This effort involves schools, parents, and various agencies to prevent the negative impacts of online gambling.
The DKI Jakarta Provincial Education Office is actively socializing the dangers of online gambling in schools. School principals have been provided with an understanding of the signs of students who are indicated to be involved. Deputy Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office, Puswosusilo, explained that the main indicators that need to be watched out for include changes in student behavior, such as tending to be alone and having difficulty interacting. In addition, students who often make statements out of context in conversations also need special attention.
Through the official social media platform of the DKI Jakarta Government, Jalahoaks, Purwo emphasized that schools have a major role in monitoring student behavior, including their spending patterns. Teachers and educators are instructed to observe students with suspicious spending habits. If there are indications of online gambling involvement, teachers must communicate with parents through Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers without giving direct sanctions.
The impact of online gambling is very dangerous for children, causing decreased social interaction as well as physical and mental disorders. Students who are addicted to online gambling often experience sleep deprivation due to playing until late at night, which has an impact on concentration and enthusiasm for learning. If not handled immediately, they have the potential to take risky actions, such as stealing or forcing friends to lend money.
To overcome this threat, schools are making various mitigation efforts, including intensive socialization and reminders from teachers about the dangers of online gambling before starting lessons. The DKI Jakarta Education Office also collaborates with ministries, institutions, and related Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) to develop effective education and socialization strategies.
If students are indicated to be addicted to online gambling, the Education Office will coordinate with agencies such as the Empowerment, Child Protection and Population Control Office (DPPAPP), Social Services, and Health Services to provide further assistance. This step involves BK teachers and psychologists who work together with cross-OPDs to ensure that the children involved get the help they need.
At the national level, the government continues to fight online gambling and illegal online loans that are increasingly disturbing the public. Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, emphasized the government’s commitment to building a safe digital infrastructure that provides maximum benefits. According to her, the role of parents and teachers is very important in educating children to use technology wisely.
In a meeting with students, Meutya emphasized the importance of parental and teacher assistance in managing the time of using digital devices so that children do not access the internet excessively.
In addition to building digital awareness, the government also distributes educational materials in the form of posters, flyers, and animated videos to help students understand the dangers of online gambling and illegal online loans. Digital literacy is the main shield in warding off negative content, with the active role of parents and teachers in providing understanding to children.
Online gambling and illegal online loans are a serious threat to society, not only in terms of finances, but also have an impact on the psychological condition and welfare of families. Therefore, the government is promoting a financial management education program for students as a preventive measure so that they are not easily tempted by illegal online loans. By understanding how to manage finances from an early age, the younger generation can be wiser in managing their money and avoid detrimental practices.
From the legislative and law enforcement side, a member of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia from DKI Jakarta, Fahira Idris, explained five main strategies in eradicating online gambling. The first strategy is to strengthen technology and cyber patrols by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to detect online gambling sites early and prevent their spread.
The second strategy is to strengthen cross-agency collaboration. The synergy between the National Police, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kemenkominfo), the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and various other stakeholders must be strengthened. By sharing data and information, identification and blocking of online gambling sites can be done faster.
