Indonesian authorities are intensifying efforts to combat illegal online gambling. The National Police Criminal Investigation Department recently announced that it has frozen a total of approximately 154.3 billion Indonesian Rupiah (US$9.5 million) in funds, which are distributed across 811 bank accounts suspected of being related to illegal gambling transactions.
Senior Commissioner Fedi Salagi stated that the freezing operation was carried out based on recommendations from the Indonesian Anti-Money Laundering Agency—Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center. He emphasized that the funds are very likely to originate from online gambling and warned that the police will continue to pursue the criminal networks behind this, and will not stop here.
In Indonesia, online gambling remains illegal. Earlier this month, the Financial Services Authority requested that banks nationwide block nearly 26,000 accounts suspected of gambling and strengthen due diligence by cross-verifying the identity of account holders with the national identity system before closing accounts.
Data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center shows that from 2023 to July 2025, more than 25,000 accounts have been flagged for gambling transactions, with a total transaction volume reaching 1 trillion Indonesian Rupiah.
The authorities point out that illegal gambling has a particularly severe impact on low-income families, often plunging them into a quagmire of debt. At the same time, some scholars have suggested setting up legal casinos for foreign tourists in places like Batam Island or Bali, but this must be accompanied by strict regulation to protect local communities.
Salagi stated that this action is not only aimed at curbing financial crimes but also at cleaning up the digital space and protecting vulnerable groups from the pitfalls of gambling.
