Indonesia cracks down on online gambling, targets 39,923 accounts

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4 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) has instructed commercial banks to conduct enhanced due diligence (EDD) and block 39,923 bank accounts linked to illicit online gambling operations, intensifying a nationwide crackdown on cyber-betting rings.

Speaking at a virtual press conference following the October 2026 Monthly Board of Commissioners Meeting in Jakarta on Thursday (November 5), OJK Chief Executive of Banking Supervision Dian Ediana Rae stated that the measure aims to eradicate online gambling, which severely impacts the economy and the financial sector.

“The OJK has instructed banks to perform enhanced due diligence,” Dian said.

The latest tally reflects an increase of 1,127 accounts compared to an OJK report from early October 2026, which identified 38,796 suspect accounts.

Under the tightened protocol, the OJK’s mandate goes beyond locking individually flagged accounts.

Financial institutions are now directed to investigate and shutter other active accounts tied to the same National Identity Number (NIK) associated with a suspect, effectively dismantling the infrastructure used by individuals managing illegal networks.

EDD protocols require institutions to subject high-risk customers to rigorous vetting, deep profile reviews, and exhaustive analysis of transaction patterns.

The regulatory move aligns with an escalating inter-agency campaign.

On Wednesday (November 4), Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria underscored the necessity of a unified front uniting the OJK, Bank Indonesia, the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), as well as the Indonesian National Police to sever the payment pathways powering illegal betting.

According to PPATK data presented by the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) in September 2026, the total financial turnover coursing through online gambling networks during the first semester of 2026 reached an estimated Rp86.8 trillion (approximately US$4.79 billion).

The government’s sweeping digital cleanup has also targeted the web presence of betting syndicates.

Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry’s figures indicate that between October 20, 2024, and September 11, 2026, authorities neutralized 4.03 million pieces of gambling-related content out of a broader total of 5.15 million negative web items flagged.