"We all agree that online gambling is increasingly threatening and has become a serious issue that we need to address together,"Jakarta (ANTARA) - Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) Minister Budi Arie Setiadi commended the Indonesian Christian Youth Movement (GAMKI) for its active role in helping the government combat online gambling practices.
While receiving a visit from representatives of GAMKI at the Kominfo Ministry Office in Jakarta on Friday (July 26), Setiadi highlighted that youth organizations can play a vital role in conveying messages about the threats posed by online gambling to Indonesian youngsters.
"We all agree that online gambling is increasingly threatening and has become a serious issue that we need to address together," he noted in the Kominfo Ministry's press release received here on Saturday.
The minister also expressed optimism about the youth organization's ability to make significant contributions to protecting Indonesian young people from the adverse impacts of online gambling.
"GAMKI can serve as a spearhead for educating youths about the danger of online gambling," he stated.
Meanwhile, GAMKI Central Board Chairman Sahat Martin Philip Sinurat underlined that his side had been striving to increase people's digital literacy and encourage Christian youths to prevent and avoid online gambling.
He remarked that GAMKI is planning on providing guidance, counselling, and support for youths looking to ditch their addiction to online gambling.
The Indonesian government has taken a wide range of measures to combat the increasing popularity of online gambling in the country, including establishing the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force, chaired by Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Coordinating Minister Hadi Tjahjanto.
Furthermore, the government has decided to sever access to online gambling sites based in Cambodia and the Philippines and intensify efforts to clean up Indonesia's digital space from online gambling content.
Setiadi earlier revealed that his ministry had successfully taken down a total of 2,552,749 pieces of online gambling content from July 17, 2023, to July 17, 2024, three folds higher than the 800 thousand pieces blocked during the 2017-2023 period.
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Translator: Livia K, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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