 |
| National Police Crack Down on Online Gambling Networks, Seize Hundreds of Billions of Rupiah in Illegal Assets. |
Indonesia’s National Police Criminal Investigation Department, known as Bareskrim Polri, has intensified its fight against online gambling, a crime that continues to disrupt public order and harm society. Throughout 2025, authorities uncovered hundreds of online gambling cases and confiscated illegal assets worth hundreds of billions of rupiah.
Deputy Chief of Bareskrim Polri, Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, revealed that during 2025, the Cyber Crime Directorate handled 664 cybercrime cases related to online gambling. From those cases, police named 744 suspects and secured assets totaling approximately Rp286.2 billion.
“Throughout 2025, we handled 664 cases with 744 suspects. From these investigations, we successfully seized money and assets worth around Rp286.2 billion,” Nunung said during a press briefing.
Law enforcement efforts were not limited to arrests alone. Police also focused heavily on prevention. More than 231,517 online gambling websites have been proposed for blocking, while 1,764 pre-emptive operations were carried out to stop illegal gambling platforms from spreading further across the country.
Meanwhile, Director of Cyber Crime at Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General Himawan Bayu Aji, explained that the latest investigation started with routine cyber patrols. Initially, officers detected 10 suspicious gambling websites. Further investigation revealed a wider network of 21 online gambling sites operating both domestically and internationally.
“These gambling websites offered various services, including online slots, casino games, and sports betting. Because they were accessible from inside and outside Indonesia, we immediately coordinated with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs to block and take them down,” Himawan explained.
During the investigation, police conducted undercover deposit and undercover player operations. These efforts uncovered money flows involving 11 payment service providers. Further development revealed 17 shell companies deliberately created to facilitate online gambling transactions, either through QRIS layering schemes or as main holding accounts for gambling proceeds.
From this network alone, Bareskrim Polri managed to freeze and seize approximately Rp59.1 billion. Investigators also worked closely with the Directorate General of Legal Administration at the Ministry of Law and the banking sector to review and block all bank accounts linked to the fictitious companies.
In this case, police have named five suspects with different roles, along with one fugitive currently on the wanted list. The suspects allegedly established fake companies using false identities and forged documents to open bank accounts. These accounts were then used as payment gateways for the 21 online gambling websites.
As a result of their actions, the suspects face multiple criminal charges, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching Rp10 billion.
“The investigation will continue, especially to trace individuals who helped create fake corporate documents used in online gambling operations,” Himawan emphasized.
Bareskrim Polri also confirmed that online gambling enforcement is being carried out continuously with strong support from Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center data. Authorities are also using legal mechanisms under Supreme Court Regulation Number 1 of 2013 to seize assets linked to criminal activity. As of the latest court ruling, total confiscated evidence has reached Rp96.7 billion.
Going forward, Bareskrim Polri pledged to strengthen coordination with financial intelligence units, digital authorities, banks, and other relevant institutions. Through consistent pre-emptive actions, preventive measures, and firm law enforcement, police aim to significantly reduce and dismantle online gambling networks operating in Indonesia.
Berita Terkini, Eksklusif di WhatsApp Borneotribun.com
