Online Gambling Law Enforcement and Criminalization Dynamics in Besilam Village, Langkat

Abstract

Online gambling has become one of the forms of digital crime that is growing rapidly in Indonesia, including in rural areas such as Besilam Village, Langkat Regency. This study aims to analyze how law enforcement against online gambling is carried out in the village, as well as how the dynamics of criminalization policies are applied in the local context. The approach used is empirical juridical with analytical descriptive methods, through interviews with law enforcement officers and local communities as well as literature studies. The results of the study show that law enforcement at the village level still faces various obstacles such as limited technology, minimal public legal awareness, and non-specific regulations on forms of online gambling. Criminalization of perpetrators is still needed, but it needs to be balanced with an educational, preventive, and restorative approach to be more effective at the grassroots level.