Indonesia intensifies anti-gambling crackdown with mass account blocks

Indonesia has escalated its campaign against illegal online gambling, with authorities blocking 1000 bank accounts linked to betting activity in a coordinated enforcement action on April 13.

The operation was led by the Financial Services Authority, known as OJK, alongside multiple government agencies targeting financial channels used to facilitate online wagering.

OJK banking head Dian Ediana Rae said online gambling had “wide-ranging effects on the economy and financial sector,” with regulators already requesting enhanced due diligence or blocking of 33,252 accounts tied to illicit activity.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, prohibits all forms of gambling under Sharia principles, applying to both land-based and online betting by locals and foreigners.

The country’s 1974 Control of Gambling Law describes wagering as contrary to religion and national values, with an objective of its complete elimination.

Modern enforcement has intensified in response to digital betting, with more than 1.3 million pieces of online gambling content blocked between October 2024 and May 2025.

Authorities have also moved to restrict e-wallets and cryptocurrency channels, contributing to a reported 57 per cent decline in online gambling activity.

Under Indonesian law, gambling offences carry penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Rp1 billion, equivalent to about A$100,000.