Indonesia Cracks Down on Illegal Gambling, Seizes $9.5 Million

Major Seizure Targets Illegal Gambling in Indonesia

Indonesian authorities have successfully confiscated funds amounting to $9.5 million linked to illegal gambling activities. This enforcement action targeted a total of 811 bank accounts suspected of involvement in illicit betting practices, marking one of the country’s largest crackdowns to date.

Law Enforcement Actions and Cybercrime Units

The operation was spearheaded by the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, focusing on accounts and individuals under strong suspicion of participating in unlawful gambling. Fredy Saragih, the senior commissioner leading the cybercrime division within Bareskrim, confirmed the rigorous efforts applied during this investigation.

Indonesia’s Firm Stance Against Gambling

Indonesia maintains very strict anti-gambling legislation and has remained steadfast in enforcing these laws despite continual attempts by underground operators to run illegal betting platforms. The country has intensified measures to combat these networks, particularly through monitoring financial transactions.

Monitoring Financial Institutions to Combat Gambling

The Financial Services Authority played a critical role by instructing banks to freeze 26,000 accounts suspected of facilitating gambling transactions. These accounts were reported to have processed approximately $61 million related to gambling activities. This latest sanction adds to previous actions taken in July, when authorities halted 17,000 accounts with similar connections to illicit gambling.