Indonesian Government Synergy Strengthens Commitment to Eradicate Online Gambling

Jakarta – The government continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to eradicating online gambling practices that are increasingly disturbing the public. Through cross-agency synergy, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) is intensifying efforts to suppress the circulation of illegal funds from these activities.

“With efficient collaboration, we can hold the value of online gambling transactions, although they still exist. Many have succeeded from the simulation of the analysis results that we have submitted,” said the Coordinator of the PPATK Public Relations Group, Natsir Kongah, in an interview with Pro3 RRI.

He explained that the synergy between PPATK and several institutions such as the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Bank Indonesia (BI), and the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kemenkopolhukam) has yielded results in curbing the rate of online gambling transactions. The financial analysis that was developed was able to provide accurate data simulations to detect and stop suspicious fund flows.

One of the main strategies in this eradication is the application of the follow the money method to track the flow of money originating from illegal activities.

“Gambling money disguised in the form of assets is the main target for tracking by PPATK,” said Natsir.

According to him, tracking is done by tracing a network of accounts and transactions that are interconnected in a complex scheme. This technique allows investigators to identify patterns of disguised funds that are spread in various forms of assets, both physical and digital.

“PPATK has the authority to access and verify asset ownership to ensure a connection with criminal activities. Then whether there is a connection with the perpetrators of the crime, that can be traced,” he continued.

Not only houses and vehicles, digital assets such as cryptocurrencies are also included in the monitoring radar. Natsir emphasized that crypto service providers are now required to report suspicious activities to PPATK as a form of preventing money laundering from online gambling proceeds.

These steps reflect the government’s seriousness in creating a clean and safe financial ecosystem from illegal activities. Collaboration between institutions is key to creating a strong and sustainable monitoring system.