The Indonesian government has reported the dismantling of approximately 3.1 million gambling sites and promotional posts since October 2024, while noting that users of virtual private networks (VPNs) continue to access these illegal betting platforms.
Communication and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid stated that whistleblower contributions have been pivotal in identifying and blocking hundreds of thousands of websites, according to CNN Indonesia. Between October 22, 2024, and July 12, 2025, the public submitted over 156,000 reports through a dedicated online hotline aimed at tackling gambling and fraud.
Additionally, around 85,500 mobile numbers suspected of promoting gambling sites and scams have been reported by whistleblowers. In response to the rising online gambling addiction, public institutions and the financial services sector are working together to combat this issue.
"When we shut off access to gambling sites, we must also follow up by cutting the throat of the online gambling ecosystem; namely the associated bank accounts," Meutya emphasized.
These government assertions come in the wake of complaints related to gambling from religious courts nationwide. Judges indicate that online gambling addiction is contributing to a surge in divorces, citing strife among couples and resulting financial crises within families.
Despite the government's assertions, financial regulators warn that technological advances aid online gambling operators in evading detection. Dian Ediana Rae, Chief Executive for Banking Supervision at the Financial Services Authority (OJK), remarked that these networks have evolved into sophisticated, organized crime entities functioning seamlessly across borders, as reported by Kompas.
Criminals exploit escrow accounts, electronic payment platforms, the government’s QRIS fast-pay system, and cryptocurrencies to launder funds. "Online gambling crimes have a negative impact on Indonesia’s finances and social fabric," Dian stated.
To combat online gambling effectively, he insisted on improved data-sharing systems among financial providers to collaborate with the Ministry of Communication and Digital, anti-money laundering agencies, the central bank, and police. However, bureaucratic obstacles impede real-time data sharing, allowing criminals to maneuver funds and alter their tactics.
Dian emphasized that apprehending online gambling operations requires a comprehensive approach that includes early detection, data exchange, risk mitigation, transaction monitoring, asset blocking, and law enforcement. He also highlighted the need for banks and regulators to utilize advanced analytical technologies and artificial intelligence tools to spot gamblers using VPNs and encrypted apps to bypass restrictions.
The OJK is currently developing monitoring tools to identify escrow and mule accounts, which can reveal the identities of typically anonymous account holders through AI. Recently, the OJK blocked nearly 3,000 additional gambling-related bank accounts, raising the total to over 36,000.
With all forms of betting outlawed in Indonesia, the government launched an extensive crackdown on online gambling in 2023, freezing millions in assets associated with web-based betting. Recently, police in Malang Regency arrested a 40-year-old man in Turen Subdistrict, accused of stealing gold jewelry valued at IDR 18 million ($1,000) from a neighbor to fund his online gambling addiction.
