Jakarta, July 10 -- The misuse of Rp957 billion (approximately US$58.7 million) in aid by recipients for online gambling in 2024 underlines the need for reforming the aid distribution system, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has said.

According to the minister, the figure was determined by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), which cross-referenced 28.4 million identity numbers of social aid recipients in 2024 with 9.7 million individuals listed as online gamblers, finding 571,410 matches.

"Two percent of social aid beneficiaries in 2024 were online gamblers involved in a total of 7.5 million transactions, valued at Rp957 billion," Yusuf said in Jakarta on Thursday.

He added that a significant portion o...