Indonesia Freezes $9.5 Million in Online Gambling Funds
Indonesian authorities have frozen funds amounting to Rp 154.3 billion ($9.5 million) allegedly tied to online gambling operations, as part of an ongoing effort to combat the rise of illegal gambling in the jurisdiction.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:According to the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), the illicit funds were found in 811 bank accounts suspected of being used to place bets or store proceeds from online gambling. Senior Commissioner Ferdy Saragih, chief of Bareskrim's cybercrime division, revealed that the police froze the accounts in response to recommendations issued by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the country’s key agency for preventing money laundering.
Saragih added that there will be more enforcement actions as the police will continue pursuing the individuals and networks behind illegal gambling platforms.
In recent weeks, Indonesia has intensified its crackdown against online gambling, an activity that is strictly prohibited but has seen rapid growth through mobile apps and social media platforms. Beyond financial crime, authorities emphasize that the crackdown is also about protecting society. Illegal gambling is seen as a particular threat to low-income families, who may be lured into debt and financial hardship by the promise of quick wins.
Different government agencies are working in tandem to combat the issue. This month, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) instructed banks nationwide to freeze approximately 26,000 accounts suspected of being linked to online gambling activities.
The OJK has also mandated that banks perform extra checks on account holders and make sure they match the country’s national ID system before closing accounts flagged for suspicious activity.
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Ongoing Battle Against Online Gambling
At the beginning of the year, the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Komdigi reported blocking 43,063 online gambling-related digital content within the first six days of the year. At the time, Molly Prabawaty, Acting Director General of Public Communication and Media at the Komdigi Ministry, reported that the government had successfully removed around 5.5 million digital advertisements related to online gambling since 2017.
In May, a joint effort by the Indonesian police and financial regulators, resulted in the confiscation of $36.2 million in gambling-related funds.
Indonesia is one out of a growing list of countries in Asia with strict regulations against online gambling. India recently joined this group after its parliament approved a bill that imposes a nationwide ban on online gambling.
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