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Steep penalties

Indonesian authorities say they have taken down more than 5.7 million pieces of gambling-related online content over the past eight years.

Police have also stepped up enforcement, with at least 85 influencers arrested last year for promoting online betting.

Penalties are steep, including potential prison terms of up to 10 years, while gambling itself is punishable by up to four years in jail.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said it regularly asks social media platforms to remove gambling-related content, and issues warning letters if those requests go unanswered.

“Continued inaction will result in a third warning letter sent to the platform, which carries additional penalties and may lead to access termination,” Alexander Sabar, director general for digital space supervision, told AFP.

In October, the ministry temporarily suspended TikTok’s operating license because the platform refused to provide data related to the alleged monetisation of live activities from accounts suspected of online gambling.

AFP asked Sabar if the minister will summon Meta following the findings of paid gambling ads.

He said the ministry maintains regular communication with social media platforms, and often raises the issue of gambling adverts.

The ministry “urges all digital platforms to strengthen their ad detection and moderation systems in accordance with Indonesian laws and regulations”, Sabar told AFP on November 12.

“Should repeated violations be found and left unaddressed, we will take enforcement in line with the applicable regulations.”