Indonesia says TikTok, Google, Meta to boost gambling moderation
The Indonesian government has announced that TikTok, Meta, Google, and 13 other major digital platforms have agreed to strengthen moderation of gambling-related material. Alexander Sabar, Director-General of Digital Space Supervision at the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi), said the ministry “hopes the new multi-sector synergy” with digital platforms will improve moderation and help “break the chain of online gambling and content distribution.”
He added that the government and “16 leading digital platforms, including TikTok, Google, and Meta,” had all agreed to “strengthen their moderation of harmful content,” with a particular focus on online gambling.
“We hope that digital platform providers and our own internal efforts will help us close existing loopholes. Our system will be fully operational next month,” Alexander said.
SAMAN system to go live
Alexander was referring to SAMAN, Indonesia’s content moderation system. It started as a pilot in October 2024 and was formally introduced in February 2025. The trial period ends next month, after which the system will be fully in use.
Komdigi says SAMAN will be used to enforce rules on harmful user-generated content, including online gambling, pornography, and hate speech. Alexander described the system as “vital” to maintaining a “clean, safe, healthy, and productive” digital space in Indonesia.
The ministry has warned that platforms failing to comply could face administrative fines.
Over 2.8 million harmful posts removed
According to Komdigi, more than 2.8 million pieces of harmful content were removed between October 2024 and 16 September 2025. Of these, 2.1 million items were linked to online gambling.
The ministry detailed removals across platforms: 1,932,131 items from websites, 97,779 from file-sharing services, 94,004 from Meta apps, 35,092 from Google, 17,417 from X (formerly Twitter), 1,742 from Telegram, 1,001 from TikTok, 14 from Line, and three from app stores.
“These numbers illustrate the scale of digital threats we are facing,” Alexander said, stressing that the actions were not aimed at limiting free expression but to ensure that digital spaces remain safe.
He added, “So we see children losing their future, parents losing their possessions, even households collapsing.”
Link between gambling and social damage
Officials say gambling is having a destructive effect on families. Alexander warned that online betting is leading to household breakdowns, noting: “We see children losing their future, parents losing their possessions, and even households collapsing.”
Local leaders have also raised concerns. In Berau Regency, a senior politician said most divorce cases in the area were now “driven by the increasingly widespread availability of online gambling platforms.”
Research from Indonesian academics confirmed that gambling-related divorce cases have risen steadily over the past five years, peaking in 2023. Courts in Depok also reported an increase since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Welfare cuts for gambling-linked families
The Ministry of Social Affairs has begun suspending welfare payments for families found to be involved in online gambling. Minister Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, confirmed that his ministry had identified around 600,000 social aid recipients engaged in gambling activities.
“More than 300,000 beneficiaries can no longer receive assistance. If it is proven they were engaged in online gambling, their benefits will be terminated immediately,” Saifullah said.
The ministry first revealed its findings in July and has since enforced sanctions. In Jambi City, 90 families have already been cut from welfare support.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) traced misuse of aid money. Its review of 12 million recipients found two million ineligible, including 600,000 linked to online casinos.
Saifullah said re-verification was underway to ensure fairness: “It is possible some were exploited by others. That is why re-verification is necessary.”
Billions in gambling-linked transactions
Data shows widespread misuse of public funds. In West Java alone, 49,431 welfare recipients were linked to gambling transactions worth Rp199 billion (approx. $12 million). Central Java recorded Rp83 billion, East Java Rp53 billion, and Jakarta Rp36 billion.
Nationwide, 132,557 beneficiaries were tied to gambling payments valued at Rp542.5 billion (approx. $32.7 million). The most used payment channels were Dana e-wallet and major banks such as BCA, BRI, BNI, and Mandiri.
Police have also frozen Rp154.3 billion ($9.8 million) across 811 gambling-linked bank accounts. “There is strong suspicion that the funds originated from online gambling activities. This will not be the last. Police will continue pursuing the perpetrators and networks behind these practices,” said Senior Commissioner Ferdy Saragih from the Cybercrime Directorate.
Pressure on banks, e-wallets, and VPN use
Earlier this year, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) ordered banks to block nearly 26,000 gambling-related accounts. PPATK estimates that gambling platforms processed Rp976.8 trillion ($61.8 billion) through 709 million transactions between 2017 and June 2025.
E-wallets are also being monitored. PPATK said gambling deposits through e-wallets reached Rp1.6 trillion (about $101 million) in the first half of 2025. DANA CEO Vince Iswara said the company improved its fraud detection system, which led to “an 80 percent drop in gambling-related activity.”
Authorities are also preparing stricter rules for VPNs, which people often use to access blocked gambling sites. In 2022, around 39 percent of Indonesians used VPNs, and 30 percent of them accessed restricted content.
