DPR urges stronger digital literacy to combat online gambling

hartono · May 22, 2026

DPR urges stronger digital literacy to combat online gambling

The House of Representatives' Speaker Puan Maharani led the 19th Plenary Session of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Session Period V, Year 2025-2026 at parliamentary area in Jakarta on Wednesday (May 20, 2026). (ANTARA FOTO/Rivan Awal Lingga)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives (DPR RI) Speaker Puan Maharani has urged the government to strengthen the national digital literacy movement systematically and sustainably to prevent children being exposed to online gambling.

Speaking here on Friday, Maharani said online gambling phenomenon in Indonesia has become increasingly alarming, with children now turning into a vulnerable group.

"The online gambling phenomenon in Indonesia is currently entering a much more worrying phase. While this practice was previously identical with adults, children have now become the most vulnerable victims," she said.

She highlighted data showing nearly 200,000 Indonesian children have been exposed to online gambling. According to Maharani, such condition requires serious intervention through cross-institutional involvement from various sectors.

In addition to strengthening digital literacy, she believes the government needs to prepare special programmes for character protection and children's mental health in the digital era.

She noted that schools cannot work alone in monitoring children's use of digital spaces, emphasising families must serve as the first line of defense.

"The children's social environment also needs to play a role, whether around the house, in social circles, or during other activities," Maharani said.

She added the government already has regulations for protecting children in the digital space through Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Implementation in Child Protection, also known as PP Tunas.

The House Speaker encouraged a more progressive implementation of the regulation, ranging from preventive measures to imposing sanctions on service providers that allow the promotion of online gambling.

"The state must not be outpaced by online gambling networks that operate massively and trans-nationally," Maharani stated.