Key Moments:
- The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has adopted the GATE system, developed by students from the University of Lampung, to enhance real-time monitoring of online gambling.
- Authorities removed more than 2.8 million negative items online between 20 October 2024 and 16 September 2025, including 2.1 million linked to online gambling.
- The government suspended welfare payments to over 300,000 recipients proven to be involved in online gambling during its crackdown.
Adoption of the GATE System in Digital Oversight
Indonesia has stepped up its campaign against online gambling. It is now using the Gambling Activity Tracing Engine (GATE system), a detection tool created by University of Lampung students in partnership with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi).
In a statement in Jakarta on 24 September 2025, Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision, stressed the government’s support for this student-led initiative. Moreover, he underlined the value of working with the academic community to strengthen digital surveillance.
Since October 2024, the GATE system has helped remove more than 2.17 million gambling-related items from the internet. The technology uses language and visual detection methods. In addition, it monitors financial transactions to expose illegal gambling operations.
How the GATE System Functions
The GATE team includes five University of Lampung students. They designed the system to spot gambling websites, track transactions, and generate activity reports for regulators. The AI-powered SSR (Screen, Secure, Report) approach enables real-time monitoring of digital activities and helps regulators and law enforcement respond effectively.
“We developed this secure method to track deposit transactions because we hypothesised that online gambling could be financially shut down,” said Zaka Kurnia Rahman, a member of the team.
While the GATE project continues to compete in the Student Creativity Program, the creators have expressed their willingness to collaborate for the long-term enhancement of digital oversight in Indonesia.
Support from Academic and Government Leaders
Deputy Rector III of the University of Lampung, Sunyono, fully endorsed the GATE innovation. He also encouraged similar efforts to boost Indonesia’s online security. The collaboration has been described as a vital step toward making the nation’s digital environment safer.
“This meeting is not only a platform for sharing knowledge, but also a momentum to expand synergy so that Indonesia’s digital space becomes safer, healthier, and more sustainable,” said Alexander.
Zaka added: “We highly appreciate Komdigi’s step in opening a discussion space for us. This gives us extra motivation to continue developing the GATE system so it can make a real contribution in supporting the government to safeguard Indonesia’s digital space from online gambling practices.”
Mass Online Content Removal and Financial Sanctions
From 20 October 2024 to 16 September 2025, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs took down about 2.8 million objectionable online items. Notably, 2.1 million of them were linked to online gambling. The crackdown extended to websites, file-sharing services, Meta apps, Google, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, TikTok, Line, and app stores.
Alexander clarified that these actions aim not at suppressing expression, but at “to safeguard the public and ensure that our digital space remains clean, safe, healthy, productive, and compliant.”
Social Welfare Assistance Under Scrutiny
Indonesia’s Ministry of Social Affairs cut off welfare payments to a substantial number of beneficiaries found to be involved in online gambling activities. Minister Saifullah Yusuf detailed that about 600,000 social assistance recipients had ties to online casinos.
“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,” he said.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) revealed that two million welfare recipients did not qualify. Among them, 600,000 were involved in gambling. A re-verification process has been set to maintain equity.
Regional Data on Gambling-Linked Welfare Recipients
PPATK data pointed to West Java as having the highest number of welfare beneficiaries involved in gambling at 49,431, followed by Central Java (18,363), East Java (9,771), and Jakarta (7,717). At the municipal level, Bogor Regency accounted for 5,497 such cases.
| Region | Recipients Linked to Gambling |
|---|---|
| West Java | 49,431 |
| Central Java | 18,363 |
| East Java | 9,771 |
| Jakarta | 7,717 |
| Bogor Regency | 5,497 |
Most gambling-related transfers were facilitated by e-wallets such as Dana and through banking institutions including BCA, BRI, BNI, and Mandiri.
Enforcement Actions and Financial Freezes
Law enforcement froze Rp154.3 billion ($9.8 million) in 811 gambling-related bank accounts. Financial regulators also blocked nearly 26,000 more accounts. Furthermore, PPATK reported that between 2017 and June 2025, online gambling generated Rp976.8 trillion ($61.8 billion) across 709 million transactions.
Authorities also monitored VPN usage and e-wallet activities. Dana, a prominent e-wallet, reported an 80 percent decline in gambling-linked activity after improving their fraud detection systems.
Government Measures and Public Awareness Efforts
Welfare recipients are assessed by the Ministry of Social Affairs for sanctions if found involved in gambling, holding stagnant funds, or exhibiting uncommonly high balances. Measures range from warnings to permanent disqualification from assistance programs.
“Don’t use it for gambling,” Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka said, addressing beneficiaries at BSU distribution sites and urging the public to report any misuse through the Cek Bansos app to ensure proper allocation of assistance.
Through collaborative technology development like the GATE system, vigilant monitoring of online activity, and tightened welfare distribution controls, Indonesia continues to make significant progress toward a safer and more resilient digital ecosystem.
- Author
Daniel Williams
