Indonesia Steps Up War Against Online Gambling

Indonesia has stepped up its crackdown on illegal online gambling, taking far-reaching measures to reduce the pervasive problem. The central bank, in cooperation with payment service providers, has tightened monitoring and enforcement to disrupt financial networks linked to gambling activities, according to announcements by Juda Agung, Bank Indonesia’s Deputy Governor.

Agung said that banks and non-bank payment providers applied advanced fraud detection systems to identify suspicious accounts. Those accounts were then flagged and reported to the central bank, which froze them from being used in further transactions. Through this effort, 7,500 accounts associated with online gambling have been frozen so far.

Operators of payment services must implement a fraud detection system to identify the accounts that move online gambling transactions and other fraudulent transactions. Complementing the efforts above, Bank Indonesia is engaging in a campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of gambling. The bank publishes the information on television and social media so that citizens will also be aware and cautious.

Massive Online Crackdown Yields Results

Meutya Hafid, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, detailed the government’s achievements in shutting down online gambling platforms. Since the establishment of the online gambling eradication desk on November 4, 2024, authorities have taken down approximately 380,000 gambling sites. Additionally, 651 bank accounts linked to these operations have been blocked, reinforcing the
government’s commitment to a gambling-free environment.

Hafid emphasized that cooperation with financial institutions is imperative to nip the growing gambling networks in the country. The attempt also complemented President Prabowo Subianto’s broader directive for the government to step up the regulation and law enforcement effort against the online gambling industry.

All-out Campaign Against Gambling

It is part of a nationwide campaign to save Indonesians from the social and financial ills brought about by gambling. In addition to domestic efforts, the government is looking at international collaborations, which include possible cooperation with Interpol against cross-border gambling operations.

Indonesia is thus making brutal law enforcement, public education, and international collaboration an affirmative commitment towards protecting its citizens and financial systems from the risks posed by illegal gambling activities.

We want to remind you that gambling can be addictive. If you notice any signs of gambling addiction, please seek help at gambleaware.com. For more support and information, visit our Responsible Gambling section.

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