The Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Puan Maharani, has called on the government to tighten supervision against the potential entry of foreign online gambling networks into Indonesia. This anticipatory measure is deemed highly critical given the destructive socioeconomic impacts that cybercrimes inflict on family finances and the psychological well-being of the younger generation. Her statement follows the recent detention of 321 foreign nationals (WNA) linked to an international online gambling syndicate operating in the Hayam Wuruk area of Jakarta. This large-scale law enforcement operation serves as a stark warning that global syndicates are actively attempting to shift their operational bases into Indonesian territory.
Puan emphasized that the government must take immediate preventive steps to ensure Indonesia does not become a transit point or an operational hub for international online gambling activities. According to her, the phenomenon of online gambling networks shifting their operations to Indonesia must receive serious attention from all relevant law enforcement agencies. The presence of foreign operators utilizing domestic residential spaces as disguised headquarters reveals gaps in local monitoring systems that need immediate rectifying. Therefore, the agenda for combating foreign online gambling must be elevated to a top national security priority to counter increasingly aggressive penetrations from overseas syndicates.
“Kita harus melakukan antisipasi, jangan sampai kemudian kalau ada pihak-pihak yang berkeinginan menjadikan Indonesia sebagai tempat persinggahan atau sebagai tempat utama judi online, tentu saja itu jangan sampai terjadi,” Puan said during a media briefing following a Plenary Session at the Nusantara II Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday (12/5/2026). The parliamentary leader added that turning a blind eye to these illicit activities could ruin Indonesia’s reputation for digital investment and trigger a collapse in financial resilience among lower-income communities, who are often the primary targets of gambling exploitation.
Reforming Immigration Supervision and Borderless Cyber Tracking
The lawmaker from the PDI-P faction stated that oversight of foreign nationals’ traffic, including through the immigration system, needs to be reinforced periodically. Verifying visa documents and stay permits for foreign nationals entering Indonesia must be tightened across multiple levels to ensure their activities within the country are entirely legal and do not violate state sovereignty. This step is considered essential to prevent the growth of cross-border illegal activities that can harm society and disrupt social stability. Modernizing detection tools at immigration checkpoints is an absolute necessity so that the mobility of criminal networks can be identified early on.
Furthermore, Puan asserted that deterrence against the expansion of these networks should not be a temporary effort only when a case surfaces to the public eye. A momentum-based approach will only yield short-term fixes without addressing the underlying root causes of the digital crime ecosystem. According to her, the government needs to construct a consistent and sustainable surveillance network to prevent any abuse of Indonesian territory from the outset. Success in combating foreign online gambling requires integrating artificial intelligence algorithms into website blocking systems and closely monitoring suspicious financial transactions flowing out of the country.
The House of Representatives also encourages stronger coordination among related ministries and agencies, including law enforcement and immigration authorities, in tracking the suspicious movements of foreign nationals. This collaboration must involve the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to map out money-laundering networks frequently used by gambling syndicates to disguise their illicit proceeds. Through solid data synchronization, the operational space for foreign gambling operators within the country will shrink significantly, leaving them no opportunity to establish server infrastructures or management operations within Indonesian legal jurisdiction.
Integrated Social Protection and National Cyberspace Resilience
The House hopes that tactical supervision and enforcement steps against cross-border gambling practices can be carried out firmly and measurably to prevent Indonesia from becoming a new target for international gambling network operations. This impartial law enforcement is expected to serve as a powerful deterrent while restoring the function of the digital space as a healthy tool for education and economic progress. To learn more about the latest regulations and public reporting mechanisms regarding suspicious online activities, the public can access the official portal of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia, which serves as the frontline of national cyber defense.
“Karena itu pengetatan atau antisipasi terkait dengan hal itu harus dilakukan, bukan hanya sekarang tapi secara berkala. Jadi hal ini penting karena ini juga untuk menjaga jangan sampai ini menjadi semakin luas dan melebar,” she concluded. The House of Representatives remains fully committed to executing its legislative and budgetary oversight functions to support the comprehensive strengthening of national cybersecurity infrastructure. Besides enforcing laws in the digital realm, the government and all elements of society are required to actively conduct massive financial and digital literacy campaigns to shield every family from the real threats of internet-based crimes.
