A number of professional Mobile Legends: Bang Bang gamers and streamers in Indonesia are reportedly facing legal action as a result of online gambling marketing operations they have carried out through social media in recent years.
A few weeks ago, an Indonesian YouTuber named Ferry Irwandi posted a video about the spread of illegal online gambling content in Indonesia, which has grown in popularity since the Covid-19 outbreak. He then assumed that the increase in online gambling players in Indonesia was mostly affected by influencers, such as video game content creators, who frequently promoted online gambling sites on their social media accounts.
His video quickly gained a lot of attention from whistleblower accounts on social media, which responded to his video by uploading a list of well-known figures in Indonesia who have aggressively advertised online gambling since 2020. Among the personalities and artists on the list are a number of MLBB professionals and content creators who are widely known in both domestic and international competition.
Some of the names mentioned are Steven “Marsha” Kurniawan, Isaiah “Xinnn” Armando, Rivaldi “R7” Fatah, Jonathan “Emperor” Liandi, Yurino “Donkey” Angkawidjaja, Ihsan “Luminaire” Besarik and Maxhill “Antimage” Leonardo. Aside from them, other non-professional MLBB streamers are being investigated by the community for the same reason.
The investigation found that they worked with some bookies to promote online gaming by using deceptive donation schemes during their live social media streams. At the moment, these whistleblowers are demanding that they be prosecuted along with other influencers who have promoted online betting in Indonesia.
Some of them have recently dismissed their accusations, claiming that they cannot regulate stream donations because of the enormous number of people who subscribe to their channels. But reports from other streamers show that this isn’t completely true.
If this legal demand is met, it will deal a significant blow to Indonesia’s still-growing esports industry, as most of the accused have achieved huge success in the competitive scene and serve as role models for younger generations.
The online gambling industry in Indonesia has experienced tremendous growth and generated high turnover over the past three years, with an estimated $12,798,360,000 in 2023. This disconcerting development has been linked by many analysts to the current social and economic challenges affecting the middle and lower classes in Indonesia.
Any form of gambling activity in Indonesia is subject to punishment with a prison sentence of up to four years under Article 303 of the Indonesian Penal Code. The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information actively encourages the public to report any gambling content to them.
