Indonesian authorities freeze $9.5m linked to illegal online gambling
Authorities have blocked funds across 811 bank accounts linked to illegal digital betting.
Key points:
– The account freezes followed recommendations from Indonesia’s anti-money laundering agency
– Officials say illegal gambling disproportionately affects low-income households
– Online gambling remains illegal in Indonesia, and authorities are intensifying efforts to block accounts and disrupt operations
Indonesian police have frozen RP154.3bn ($9.5m) connected to online gambling operations as part of ongoing enforcement actions against illegal digital betting platforms.
The funds were distributed across 811 bank accounts that investigators suspect were used to process bets or store gambling proceeds, according to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency.
Senior Commissioner Ferdy Saragih said account freezes followed recommendations from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, Indonesia’s anti-money laundering agency.
He added: “There is strong suspicion that the funds originated from online gambling activities. This will not be the last. Police will continue pursuing the perpetrators and networks behind these practices.”
Online gambling remains illegal in Indonesia. As part of the country’s expanded campaign against it, which targets mobile applications and social media platforms, the Financial Services Authority ordered banks nationwide earlier this month to block nearly 26,000 accounts suspected of links to online gambling operations.
Besides, banks have been instructed to conduct enhanced due diligence procedures, including cross-checking account holders against Indonesia’s national identification system before closing flagged accounts.
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The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center reported that more than 25,000 accounts were flagged for gambling-related transactions between 2023 and July 2025. The total transaction flows from these flagged accounts amounted to approximately RP1tr during this period.
Authorities say the crackdown aims not only to combat financial crime but also to protect vulnerable communities. Illegal gambling is thought to have a greater impact on low-income households, often pushing families further into debt.
Saragih said: “This is part of our commitment to cleaning up the digital space from illegal practices.”
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