Indonesia has mandated 18,232 private electronic system providers (PSEs). These include tech giants such as Google, Meta, TikTok, and X. As reported by Jakarta Globe, this is to commit to an integrity pact targeted at discussing online gambling. This initiative was led by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics. It requires companies to secure electronic data on their platforms.
Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi emphasized the urgency for immediate compliance with the integrity pact. It warns the failure to stick fast will result in the removal of registration for non-compliant companies. Government Regulation No. 71 of 2019 and Ministerial Regulation No. 5 of 2020 backs the directive. This outlines obligations for digital firms to protect electronic information, with non-compliance potentially leading to administrative penalties, including access restrictions.
The mandate is affecting a diverse range of digital firms. It compromises 17,362 local and 870 foreign firms. Prominent domestic companies included in the mandate are Gojek, Tokopedia, Ovo, Traveloka, Bukalapak, PLN, and Indihome. These are alongside international players such as Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Linktree, and Spotify.
The Indonesian government fights against online gambling via its Online Gambling Task Force. It has recently intensified actions, freezing 32 gambling sites, as well as auditing 21 payment service providers. The Financial Intelligence Unit PPATK estimates that online gambling led to a financial outflow of IDR327 trillion, or $21.2 billion, in the previous year.
Losses have already exceeded IDR100 trillion as of this year. The majority of the 2.37 million online gamblers being young and working-age individuals. Since July of the past year, The Ministry of Communications has removed roughly 2.95 million pieces of gambling-related content.
In Indonesia, online gambling has been a widespread issue in Indonesia and in other nations globally. The country has classified it as an epidemic.
