The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs has identified 603,999 households receiving government aid as potential participants in online gambling, according to Radio Republik Indonesia. This figure resulted from a comprehensive data analysis conducted in collaboration with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).
Initially, PPATK’s screening of over 32 million records from the Family Hope Programme (PKH) and Basic Food Assistance (Sembako) programs flagged 656,543 families with suspected links to online gambling. After eliminating duplicate entries, the final number was adjusted to 603,999.
These households have been marked within the National Social Economic Data (DTSEN) system, triggering a more thorough investigation. The Ministry of Social Affairs plans to conduct a detailed evaluation of the remaining flagged recipients during the third quarter of the year.
Significantly, almost 38% of the initially identified families are no longer receiving aid as of the second quarter. This leaves 375,951 cases pending review. Minister Saifullah Yusuf stated that these findings will allow the government to improve the targeting and distribution of social assistance, focusing resources on truly needy families.
While the Ministry hasn’t yet decided on any potential legal repercussions, it has reiterated its commitment to responsible and transparent management of social welfare programs.
