Online gambling is now increasingly clever at camouflaging itself as online games. To anticipate this, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemenkominfo) has taken various steps.
One of these steps is preparing Minister of Communication and Information Technology Regulation Number 2 of 2024 concerning game classification. Kemenkominfo also collaborates with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) for the guidance of children exposed to online games.
This new regulation requires game developers to classify games based on age, ranging from categories for ages 3 years and up to 18 years and over. This aims for games to be supervised by parents and played according to age. The rule also emphasizes that games containing gambling content are not allowed for any age.
Nevertheless, online gambling operators continue to try to camouflage gambling into online games, so children have the potential to become victims. Therefore, parents need to be aware of online gambling that is camouflaged as online games by paying attention to several characteristics.
To protect children from the trap of online gambling, Kemenkominfo actively collaborates with relevant ministries, including KemenPPPA. Kemenkominfo assists in disseminating information about the SAPA program from KemenPPPA, which the public can use as a place to report children exposed to online gambling.
“This program is child-friendly. Children are asked to be brave to speak, at least to their parents. After that, parents can report to SAPA which has a hotline. This includes in the context of online gambling victims. KemenPPPA is ready to provide consultations to children involved,” said Usman.
In addition, Kemenkominfo also strengthens cooperation with other institutions such as the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) and the Financial Transaction Analysis and Reporting Center (PPATK). “We also open up space for cooperation by encouraging the participation of the wider community, encouraging parents to really supervise their children to avoid online gambling,” he added.
Characteristics of Online Gambling Disguised as Online Games:
- Notes from advertisements: In the advertisements being aired, there is a notification in the form of small print about gambling that can be psychologically addictive, and a warning that the depiction of winning in the advertisement is not as it seems.
- The Existence of a Betting System: Suspicious online games usually have betting features with real money or valuable items.
- Unclear Financial Transactions: Pay attention to transactions that ask for financial details or payments with crypto currency.
- Prizes That Are Too Attractive: Games that offer large cash prizes or expensive items are often a camouflage for online gambling.
- Unusual Social Interaction: The presence of chats or messages in the game that direct players to join in bets or gambling.
- Suspicious Advertisements: Many ads that appear in the game that lead to online gambling sites.
- Access to External Sites: Online games without real-money betting features, directing players to visit external sites or download additional applications to continue the game.
- Disguised as Viral Games: Some online gambling games use the interface of games that were once popular, which have been edited into gambling games.
Repiw Conclusion:
Online gambling that is camouflaged as online games is a serious threat to children and adolescents. It is important for parents and the community to be more vigilant and proactive in monitoring their children’s online activities. With the right regulations and collaboration between the government and the community, we can protect the younger generation from the dangers of online gambling.
