TLDR
- Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Ministry set up a joint team with Meta to fight online gambling content.
- Cybersecurity expert Alfons Tanujaya says blocking gambling websites alone won’t solve the problem.
- Gambling-related comments on social media rose 128% over two weeks compared to the January to June 2026 period.
- The ministry may extend the same anti-spam approach to platforms beyond Meta.
- Tanujaya says authorities also need to target funding channels behind gambling networks.
Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Ministry has formed a joint team with Meta. The goal is to fight online gambling content spreading through social media.
The announcement came from Minister Meutya Hafid on June 30. She said the team will focus on gambling related spam comments.
These comments have flooded social media in recent months. Operators use them to promote illegal gambling platforms.
The ministry reported a jump in this activity. Gambling related comments rose 128% over a two week period compared to the first half of 2026.
Cybersecurity expert Alfons Tanujaya spoke about the new team. He serves as deputy chairperson of the Association of National ICT Entrepreneurs.
Tanujaya called the joint team a step in the right direction. He said it gives the government a way to work directly with social media operators.
Coordination Beyond Site Blocking
Tanujaya said blocking gambling websites is not enough on its own. He explained that operators behind these sites are driven by profit.
When one site gets blocked, he said, operators simply create new ones. He added that demand for gambling websites among Indonesian internet users keeps the cycle going.
He called for stronger coordination between multiple agencies. These include the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, and the police.
Tanujaya said the issue needs a joined up response. He said isolated action by a single agency will not fix the underlying problem.
Social Media Data and Promotions
Tanujaya pointed out that platforms like Meta hold useful data. He said IP addresses of users posting gambling comments are recorded by these platforms.
This data could help track down the people behind the spam campaigns. Operators have used the tactic of flooding comment sections with gambling promotions.
Tanujaya said the ministry should also work to cut off funding channels. He said tracing the money behind gambling networks is part of a full solution.
Minister Hafid said the approach used with Meta could expand further. She suggested it might apply to platforms beyond Instagram and Facebook if it proves effective.
Tanujaya said he is optimistic about the new team. He said it will help define roles between government agencies and platform operators.
The team is meant to speed up how authorities respond to gambling content online. Officials say the effort combines government oversight with platform level enforcement.
