Tim Alper is a journalist who covers betting news and regulation for CasinoBeats. He joined the CasinoBeats team in May 2025. He reports on breaking news and developments in the world of betting, casinos, and...
Read Full BioPuan Maharani, the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, has taken another swipe at online gambling platform operators and users, claiming their greed is holding the country back.
According to the Indonesian media outlet Detik Finance, Puan criticized the phenomenon of “greedonomics,” labeling it one of the most significant challenges to national economic strength.
The term has also been coined by President Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo has used it in reference to the “greed” of individuals who exploit their countryfolk for personal gain.
Speaking in Jakarta on August 15, Puan said: “A small portion of society, despite all their advantages, exploits the people and natural resources through manipulative business practices. These include illegal mining, online gambling, drugs, and smuggling.”
Indonesian Online Gambling Crackdown: Greed Undermines Progress, Says Speaker
Puan said that illegal gambling platform and drug network operators were making hefty profits from their activities.
She claimed that this was no longer merely an economic problem. Instead, she called it a threat that is now “destroying the very foundations of national and state life.” Puan claimed: “This is a serious problem that we must all address together.”
The Speaker said that online gambling operators and other bad actors were threatening to undermine Indonesia. She said they were making money “at the expense of the common good.”
Puan explained: “We need to realize real economic transformation and social justice, with strict and impartial law enforcement. By working collectively, we can bring about national transformation.”
Outspoken Critic
Puan is a vociferous critic of online gambling. Illegal casino platforms continue to thrive in Indonesia, despite an ongoing crackdown.
In April, Puan called on the government to be more serious in its efforts to wipe out all forms of online gambling.
And last year, she responded to revelations that two unnamed lawmakers had been caught visiting online casinos by calling for the government to disclose the identities of the duo.
However, in July this year, she urged the Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry to proceed with caution in dealing with allegations that over 600,000 welfare beneficiaries have placed bets on illegal online gambling platforms.
The ministry responded by suspending welfare payments to 228,048 households in the second quarter of the financial year.However, Puan said that the ministry must use data validation tools to verify its claims before suspending payments. She argued that data is often “misused” in checks.
Earlier this month, police investigating the alleged murder of the Indonesian journalist Aditya Warman said they believed the chief suspect had incurred massive debts from gambling online.
