Indonesia freezes 5,000 bank accounts allegedly linked to online gambling
The value of transactions exceeded IDR600bn (US$36.2m).
Indonesia.- The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has announced that more than 5,000 bank accounts in Indonesia have been frozen and blocked by police since February due to alleged links with online gambling. It said the combined value of transactions across the accounts exceeded IDR600bn (US$36.2m).
Director Ivan Yustiavandana said: “The core objective of this law enforcement initiative is to protect the public from the social harms of online gambling, which often drives victims to drug trafficking, online fraud, and even prostitution in order to sustain their addiction. It can also lead to the breakdown of families.”
The government warned about the increasing number of citizens choosing to work in online gambling abroad, especially in Cambodia, noting that some apparentlt high-paying job opportunities were linked to online scams.
Earlier this week, Meutya Hafid, minister of communication and digital affairs (Komdigi), announced that his ministry took action against 1,192,000 website links and IP addresses and 127,000 pieces of gambling contents on social media between October 20, 2024, and April 23, 2025. Meutya said the government had strengthened digital surveillance and law enforcement through collaboration with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).
See also: Malaysia denies aiming gambling at Indonesian tourists
