Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital has revealed further data on how far its blocking measures have gone against the illegal gambling market.
Indonesia Has Spent 2 Years Blocking Sites – The Tally is 3.7 Million
Since October 2024, the ministry has been able to block 3.7 million online gambling websites, including affiliates, sportsbooks, and casinos, with over 38,000 bank accounts suspended and presumed to be facilitating gambling operations.
Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid released the number as part of the OJ Banking Forum 2026, with the results covering the period through July 12, 2026, and indicating that Indonesia is actively looking to crack down on illegal gambling operations.
Much of the ongoing effort to limit the reach of illegal gambling has been backed by reports submitted by the public, with at least 156,000 accounts flagged through the dedicated governmental platform, which allows individuals to submit signals about suspected gambling activity.
Gambling is prohibited in its entirety in Indonesia. Some 85,500 mobile numbers have been flagged as potentially used in scamming operations, independent of gambling. Police continue to see gambling thrive, despite these restrictive measures and the concentrated effort to root out the activity.
Draconian laws and consistent enforcement have not in themselves been enough to stop the proliferation of ilelgal gambling.
Children Also Exposed to Gambling, as Police Leads Arrests
Police have been busy, with some 1,164 suspected individuals arrested in 2026 alone over their involvement in illegal gambling operations, resulting in the seizure of $105 million.
Earlier in July, Indonesia deported 92 Chinese nationals who are tied to an illegal gambling syndicate that operated scams as well as online gaming. Indonesia has been paying attention to the proliferation of online gambling among children, with the ministry reporting in May that at least 200,000 children have been exposed to online gambling.