Microeconomic Impact Of Online Gambling and Online Loans on Public Purchasing Power

Abstract

The decline in Indonesian purchasing power over the past five years has been influenced not only by external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and global inflation, but also by the dynamics of digital consumption behavior, particularly the rise of online loans (pinjol) and online gambling. This phenomenon is increasingly worrying because it reaches the productive age group, which plays a crucial role in national economic growth. This study aims to examine the microeconomic impact of pinjol and online gambling on public purchasing power using a qualitative, descriptive, documentation-based approach. The data analyzed includes publications from the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo), the Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Bank Indonesia, as well as various scientific journals and official reports. The findings indicate that the public's purchasing power index has declined significantly since 2021, in line with the increasing intensity of pinjol use and access to digital gambling. Blocked online gambling content increased sharply in 2023, indicating high public exposure to unproductive consumer practices. Similarly, the surge in the number of illegal pinjol indicates that the public remains vulnerable to the trap of high-interest consumer debt. The economic impact of these two phenomena is reflected in reduced allocations for household productive spending and increased dependence on external financing. This study recommends improving financial literacy, stricter digital regulations, and cross-institutional collaboration in monitoring and enforcement. The implications of this research are highly relevant for promoting consumer protection and microeconomic resilience policies, as well as providing new directions for interdisciplinary research in the fields of digital economics and technology.