Indonesian Government Calls for Stricter Parental Control over Children’s Use of Online Gambling Sites

The Indonesian government has recently called for stricter parental control over children’s use of the internet in an attempt to curb online gambling among the young generation. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), along with a newly formed government group, has underlined the importance of parental supervision, with children representing 13% of all people (4 million) engaged in remote gambling in Indonesia. The Commission found 80,000 children aged below 10 and 440,000 aged 10 to 20 were exposed to gambling.

KPAI noted the numbers of children and adolescents engaging in online gambling were “alarming” and necessitated immediate action.

In an interview with The Jakarta Post, KPAI commissioner Kawiyan explained that unrestricted gambling occurred, on the one hand, due to parents’ lack of time to attend to their children’s use of the internet. Although these adults were digitally literate, they failed to educate their children about the threats associated with online gambling and the internet as a whole.

On the other hand, many parents lacked the necessary digital knowledge, thus unwillingly exposing their children to the negative impact of gambling.

The commissioner also explained that gambling content found on the internet and the associated advertisements on social media featured captivating themes that caught the attention of the young generation very easily.

He notified the government of the importance of raising awareness of this issue among parents and teaching them how to block their access to gambling content. Mr. Kawiyan also suggested that parents must be educated to recognize the signs of problem gambling. Those in need of treatment and counseling must be properly taken care of.

Online Gambling Has Become Increasingly Concerning in Indonesia

As reported by Asia News Network, remote gambling has become increasingly concerning in Indonesia, with multiple cases of incidents, thefts, and crimes triggered by problem gambling.

Parents must not only limit their children’s access to electronic devices but also talk to them about the negative impact that gambling could have on their lives, according to Khotimun Susanti of the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women’s Association for Justice.

There must be more governmental programs aimed at educating students at schools about the threats posed by online gambling. Just like antibullying discussions, online gambling discussions must become part of students’ curricula.

Developing a gambling addiction at an earlier age poses more difficulties for problem gambling specialists, Kurniawan Satria Denta, a pediatrician at Mayapada Hospital Kuningan in Jakarta explained. This was due to children’s developing brain and their unsophisticated skills to differentiate between good and bad.

The physician further noted that besides being more challenging to treat, problem gambling in children was also more persisting, as it required significantly more time to treat.