Indonesian Influencer Faces Two-Year Prison Term Over Online Casino Promotion

Indonesian prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence for a Surabaya influencer accused of promoting an illegal online gambling platform through Instagram.

An Indonesian social media influencer is facing a requested two-year prison sentence after prosecutors accused her of promoting an illegal online gambling platform through Instagram.

The case concerns Rachmawati, also reported as Rahmawati Puspita Ningrum, a Surabaya-based selebgram who appeared before the Surabaya District Court. Prosecutors allege that she published promotional content on Instagram Stories directing users to an unauthorised online gambling site.

The prosecution request was read on July 21, 2026. Prosecutor Vini Angeline asked the court to sentence the defendant to two years in prison, with time already spent in detention deducted from any final sentence.

According to local reports, the defendant was charged under Article 426 paragraph 1 letter b of Indonesia’s new Criminal Code, which covers offering or giving the public an opportunity to gamble without authorisation. Prosecutors argued that the posts were not merely advertising, but allegedly helped users access illegal gambling.

The case reportedly began in October 2025, when a person identified as Justin contacted the influencer through WhatsApp and offered paid promotion work for an online gambling site. Justin is reportedly on the wanted list. The influencer allegedly received around Rp2 million through three DANA digital wallet transfers.

Investigators cited a mobile phone, Instagram account, WhatsApp account and digital wallet records as part of the evidence. The defendant has asked the court for leniency, while local reports say she was cooperative and had no prior criminal record. A final verdict has not yet been issued, so the case remains pending.

The prosecution comes amid Indonesia’s broader crackdown on online gambling. Gambling is prohibited in the country, and authorities are increasingly targeting not only operators and payment channels, but also affiliates, influencers and content creators who promote illegal platforms online.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has warned that online gambling spam campaigns are spreading across multiple platforms and increasingly targeting regional influencers. Komdigi has also reported action against millions of gambling-related sites and content items, while suspected gambling-linked bank accounts have been referred for financial follow-up.

For influencers, the case is a clear warning: even small payments for gambling promotion can create serious criminal exposure if the platform is illegal. A short Instagram Story or link placement may be treated as facilitating access to gambling, not simply as casual advertising.

For operators and affiliates, the case shows that Indonesia remains one of Asia’s toughest markets for online casino promotion. The use of local creators, mirror links or disguised social media campaigns is becoming a higher-risk strategy.

The wider significance is that Indonesia’s gambling enforcement is moving deeper into the influencer economy. Authorities are no longer focusing only on illegal sites themselves, but also on the digital advertising chain that helps those sites reach users.