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| Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Meta have formed a joint task force to combat online gambling spam after reports showed a 128% surge in promotional spam comments on social media. (Illustration image) |
Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) and Meta have formed a joint task force to curb the spread of online gambling content through spam comments on social media platforms. The initiative was announced by Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.
According to Meutya, the new team is focused on tackling the growing use of comment sections as a channel for promoting online gambling websites. She added that the government plans to establish similar partnerships with other digital platforms in the future.
Kemkomdigi reported a 128% increase in online gambling spam over the past two weeks compared with the average number of cases recorded between January and June 2026. The ministry said the sharp rise reflects a new strategy increasingly used by gambling operators to reach users.
Analysis by the ministry found that the spam campaigns are driven by coordinated bot networks targeting high-profile public accounts, including government agencies, news organizations, public figures, and social media influencers.
To combat the growing threat, Kemkomdigi is also working with the Indonesian National Police, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to strengthen enforcement efforts against online gambling operations.
Meta's Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, Sarim Aziz, said online gambling is a cross-border issue that cannot be solved by a single organization.
"Challenges like this extend beyond national borders and are driven by actors who are highly motivated by financial gain, meaning no single company can solve the problem alone," Sarim said.
He emphasized the importance of close collaboration among technology platforms, law enforcement agencies, and the Indonesian government to prevent and disrupt online gambling activities.
Sarim also noted that gambling operators continue to develop new tactics to evade automated detection systems, including the use of seemingly harmless keywords that are difficult for algorithms to identify. Spam comments directing users to gambling websites remain one of the latest methods being exploited.
He added that addressing these evolving tactics will require stronger policy enforcement supported by artificial intelligence, improved human review processes, and more advanced AI detection systems.
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