Indonesia Blocks Nearly 24,000 Bank Accounts Linked to Online Gambling

The Indonesian government has intensified its crackdown on illegal gambling, freezing almost 24,000 bank accounts linked to online betting activity as part of a nationwide effort to disrupt financial networks behind the industry.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, in cooperation with the Financial Services Authority (OJK), confirmed that 23,929 accounts have been blocked after being identified through cyber patrols and public reports. Minister Meutya Hafid said the initiative targets the financial backbone of online gambling operations, which she described as a growing social and economic threat.

“Cutting off financial flows is the most effective way to stop the spread of online gambling, which damages public welfare and destabilizes families,” Hafid said in an official statement.

Between October 2024 and mid-September 2025, Indonesian authorities handled more than 2.1 million cases of gambling-related content across social media and digital platforms, with most of it removed under joint moderation efforts between regulators and telecom companies.

The OJK has ordered banks to identify and freeze accounts associated with gambling-related National Identity Numbers (NIKs) and to enhance internal monitoring systems for suspicious transaction patterns. This comes after the regulator froze an additional 27,395 accounts in a separate enforcement wave earlier this month.

Authorities have also announced that social welfare benefits will be suspended for individuals found participating in online gambling, affecting more than 300,000 recipients. The government stated that welfare programs must not support individuals engaged in illegal financial activities.

These measures form part of Indonesia’s broader anti-gambling policy, which combines digital surveillance, payment blocking, and social deterrence. Officials say that while enforcement remains challenging due to the borderless nature of online gambling, the cooperation between regulators, financial institutions, and telecom providers marks significant progress in the country’s fight against illegal betting.