Despite a nationwide crackdown, Indonesians placed over 6 million bets worth approximately $57 million during the World Cup, according to government officials.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) reported that online gambling networks took advantage of the excitement surrounding the soccer tournament to boost sports betting activity. At the tournament's outset, the PPATK noted a significant increase in soccer betting.
From mid-June to July 2026, online gambling deposits linked to the World Cup climbed to IDR 1.02 trillion, as reported by the Indonesian media outlet Republika.
Ivan Yustiavandana, Chairman of the PPATK, stated that his agency temporarily halted World Cup-related transactions across 2,815 accounts, which collectively held assets worth IDR 325.43 billion, or about $18.2 million.
All forms of gambling are illegal in Indonesia, yet illegal sports betting platforms remain widely used. On August 6, CasinoBeats discovered numerous Indonesian-language soccer betting sites, some of which allowed users to place bets using local bank accounts and QR code payment systems.
Yustiavandana emphasized, "The World Cup should have been a moment to enjoy achievements and sportsmanship, not a gateway to gambling. Our discovery of over 6 million World Cup-related transactions in one month demonstrates how quickly online gambling networks are capitalizing on big public events."
He also highlighted the agency’s enhanced capability to monitor gambling-related transactions, stating, "We can now increasingly detect even the smallest suspicious transaction that passes through the financial system."
However, data from the PPATK indicates that while the overall gambling turnover has decreased, the frequency of individual gambling transactions has surged. The agency's analysis for the first half of 2026 revealed a 12.9% year-on-year decline in online gambling turnovers, dropping from $5.6 billion to under $4.9 billion.
Despite less money being wagered, the number of recorded transactions soared by over 167%, totaling 467.32 million. The volume of deposits also rose by 26%. The PPATK observed that gamblers are now placing smaller bets more frequently. Yustiavandana noted the agency’s improved efficiency in detecting repetitive low-value transactions.
The PPATK plans to continue collaborating with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, the central bank, and the national police to maintain the crackdown. They aim to sever financial flows to gambling platforms and enhance monitoring of payment systems. The police have reactivated the Anti-Football Mafia Task Force during the World Cup, previously focused on match-fixing allegations in Indonesian soccer.
Match-fixing has plagued Indonesian professional leagues for years. Meanwhile, Indonesian Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf announced the suspension of benefits payments to nearly 1.5 million families after it was found that at least one family member in each case had engaged in online gambling. CNN Indonesia reported that about 800,000 of these families are beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program, which provides financial aid to approximately 10 million low-income households nationwide.
Yusuf stated, "We are currently investigating these cases. The evidence suggests that recipients used their social assistance payments to gamble online."
In a related case, a court in Surabaya sentenced a 26-year-old female Instagram influencer to jail for promoting an online casino on her social media, earning around $112 from three promotional posts.
