Jakarta. As many as 17 current and former employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are allegedly involved in online gambling activities, with bets ranging from Rp 100,000 ($6) to Rp 74 million.

“Perhaps they were just bored and decided to play,” said KPK Deputy Chairman Alexander Marwata at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Alex explained that the KPK has received reports regarding the 17 individuals engaged in online gambling. Upon investigation, it was found that only eight of them are still KPK employees, while the remaining nine are no longer employed by the commission. The total amount wagered by the 17 individuals is Rp 111 million.

Alex mentioned that some of the individuals involved in online gambling had already been dismissed by the KPK for other offenses, such as collecting money from inmates in the KPK detention center.

Currently, the inspectorate is investigating the alleged involvement of the eight KPK employees in online gambling.

“The amounts are not large, some as low as Rp 100,000, with the highest being Rp 74 million, spread across 300 transactions. Most bets were only Rp 100,000, Rp 200,000, or Rp 300,000,” Alex said.

Alex added that the KPK has not yet clarified when the employees began engaging in online gambling.

Indonesia's Online Gambling Task Force reported that there are 4 million online gamblers in the country, with 40 percent aged between 31 and 50. Alarmingly, 80,000 of those addicted to online gambling are under 10 years old, and 440,000 are aged 11 to 20. The task force has already blocked 5,000 bank accounts suspected of involvement in online gambling. They plan further actions against those creating or using fraudulent bank accounts and tackling online game top-ups linked to gambling, alongside intensified anti-gambling campaigns.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) recently found that over 1,000 members of the House and Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) were implicated in online gambling.

The Communications Ministry shut down access to 2.95 million online gambling sites from July 2023 to June 2024. 

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