Indonesia Freezes 28,000 Bank Accounts in Major Crackdown on Online Gambling and Money Laundering

Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the national anti-money laundering (AML) agency, has revealed it froze over 28,000 bank accounts last year as part of a sweeping crackdown on illegal online gambling operations.

The PPATK reported that many of the frozen accounts were used in illicit banking schemes, including the trading of ban

k accounts and laundering the proceeds of crimes such as fraud and narcotics sales. Ivan Yustiavandana, head of the agency, explained that criminals have increasingly been exploiting dormant accounts for these purposes. “Many criminals are now targeting dormant bank accounts,” he said, prompting the agency to suspend numerous inactive accounts to prevent further misuse.

While the freeze has led to a wave of complaints from account holders, Yustiavandana assured that reactivation is possible. “Bank customers whose accounts have been suspended can reactivate their accounts with relative ease,” he stated. Still, the agency urged the public to act responsibly and remain vigilant.

Yustiavandana warned: “Protect your accounts.” He advised Indonesians to proactively close unused bank accounts and never share personal data with unknown parties. The PPATK emphasized the importance of being alert to suspicious transactions, advising citizens to “immediately report any suspicious transfers from unfamiliar sources to banks or law enforcement agencies.”

The current campaign against illegal gambling intensified under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, who took office on October 20, 2024. Since then, Jakarta has reportedly blocked access to over 900,000 gambling-related webpages and social media posts. The police have also recently arrested individuals linked to the operation of the online gambling platform TAHU69.

Earlier this month, the PPATK and national police froze approximately $36.2 million in gambling-linked funds, and suspended an additional 5,000+ bank accounts.

Yustiavandana underlined the initiative’s broader goals: “The core objective of this law enforcement initiative is to protect the public from the social harms of online gambling,” he said. He further warned that gambling “can also lead to the breakdown of families.”

Meanwhile, a debate is unfolding in Indonesia's political and religious circles. Some lawmakers have floated the idea of legalizing casinos, inspired by the United Arab Emirates’ plan to launch its first casino in 2027. However, this proposal has met sharp resistance.

Indonesia’s top Islamic authority has firmly rejected the idea, with a senior official declaring lawmakers should “not even think about legalizing gambling to increase state revenue.” Another official added that making gambling legal would be “unthinkable,” asserting it would contradict societal values and moral norms. 

By fLEXI tEAM