(AsiaGameHub) – Indonesian police conducted raids resulting in the arrest of over 300 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in illegal online gambling activities.
Among the 321 individuals detained in Jakarta, 228 were identified as being from Vietnam, according to a report by AP News. An additional 57 suspects were from China, while the remaining individuals originated from Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
Wira Satya Triputra, Director of General Crimes at the Indonesian Police, stated that the gambling operation, situated near Jakarta’s Chinatown, operated more than 70 online gaming websites aimed at international players.
He added that employees within the operation were assigned various roles, including customer service, telemarketing, and financial administration. Evidence indicated that the establishment had been operational for approximately two months.
During the raid, authorities seized assets such as cash in multiple currencies, computers, mobile phones, and passports.
The Indonesian Police believe that most of those arrested entered the country using short-term visitor visas.
All forms of gambling are prohibited in Indonesia, and those apprehended could face up to nine years in prison along with a fine of 2 billion rupiah (£85,352).
Part of a wider strategy to fight unlicensed gambling
Despite the ban, Indonesian authorities have had to address the extent of the nation’s underground gambling market.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) of Indonesia estimated that 422.1 million online gambling transactions occurred in 2025, with total deposits amounting to 36 trillion rupiah (£1.52 billion).
It is believed that many of the sites targeting players in Indonesia and across Southeast Asia are based in neighboring countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar.
However, Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Indonesia’s Interpol bureau, noted that these recent arrests, alongside the uncovering of transnational crime organizations in other regions of Indonesia—including Surabaya, Bali, and Batam—reflect a shift in criminal behavior as law enforcement in other nations intensifies its efforts.
He told local news outlet Kompas: “Following enforcement actions in Cambodia, we observed a migration toward Indonesia, which we had anticipated.”
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