Kominfo Finds Online Gambling Servers Based in Cambodia, Philippines

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Communication and Information (Kominfo), Budi Arie Setiadi, stated that servers of rampant online gambling sites in the country are based in Cambodia and the Philippines, where such gambling activities are legal.

“The servers are located in Cambodia and the Philippines,” Budi Arie said in a press conference at the Kominfo Office, Central Jakarta, on Friday, October 20, 2023

However, even though the locations have been discovered, the internet protocol or IP address kept changing. Thus, Kominfo continues its efforts to block gambling-related websites. 

Measures taken to tackle such illegal activities in the country included intercepting the promotion, terminating access to the website, and blocking bank accounts linked to gambling. The ministry also collaborated with mobile operators to monitor numbers used to promote gambling.

“They use foreign numbers, but we continue to anticipate it,” said Budi Arie.

From July 18 to October 18, 2023, the Kominfo Ministry managed to terminate access to 425,506 online gambling content on various platforms, including social media. Budi Arie also said the ministry had asked internet service providers (ISP) and mobile operators to intensify efforts to eradicate online gambling. “And to immediately follow up on the request of access termination we made,” he said.