Jakarta. Social Affairs Ministry has temporarily suspended welfare payments to about 1.49 million beneficiary households suspected of making online gambling transactions, pending verification of the findings, a minister said on Wednesday.

The figure, based on the latest data from the country's Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), has more than doubled from nearly 600,000 welfare recipient households flagged for similar activity in 2025, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said.

The ministry said the findings raised serious concerns because social assistance is intended to help low-income families meet basic needs, not to finance illegal gambling activities.

"Based on the latest data from PPATK, around 1.49 million beneficiary households are suspected of conducting online gambling transactions. The number has increased significantly compared with nearly 600,000 households in 2025," Saifullah told reporters in Jakarta.

As an initial measure, the ministry has suspended social assistance payments to households included in the list while it verifies the data.

Saifullah said authorities would conduct a comprehensive review to determine whether the flagged transactions were deliberate and whether repeated violations had occurred.

"If intentional and repeated violations are proven, their eligibility for social assistance will be revoked and the benefits will be reallocated to other people who are more deserving," he said.

The ministry said the policy is aimed at improving accountability in the distribution of social welfare funds and ensuring that state assistance reaches eligible recipients who use it for its intended purpose.

Indonesia has intensified its crackdown on online gambling in recent years, with authorities tightening enforcement against gambling operators, financial intermediaries and users as part of broader efforts to curb illegal digital gambling activities.

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