A top Indonesian minister has said that the nation’s efforts to crack down on online gambling have not been effective enough.
During a meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, Yusril Ihza Mahendra – Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Affairs stated that “the prevention and eradication of online gambling is still not optimal”.
The official was speaking at an event entitled ‘Strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering Committee in Preventing and Combating Money Laundering (TPPU) Related to Online Gambling’. The event was hosted at the Financial Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) in central Jakarta.
Yusril highlighted in particular how efforts have been more focused on platforms and individuals, rather than tackling the financial networks behind them. The minister says that a new focus on combating money laundering will be key in eradicating gambling – linking investigations and prosecutions of online gambling cases with anti-money laundering initiatives.
“Through this approach, the government can track, freeze, and seize the proceeds of crime used to finance and expand online gambling operations,” stated the official.
Furthermore, the nation aims to strengthen international ties to tackle transnational organized crime.
Speaking at the same event, PPATK Chair Ivan Yustiavandana noted that online gambling transactions in Indonesia between January and October reached some IDR155 trillion ($9.27 million). The figure is a significant reduction from the IDR359 trillion ($21.47 million) registered in 2024.
