Indonesia orders banks to block 31,382 gambling-linked accounts

Regulators step up action on gambling-related money

The Financial Services Authority, known as OJK, ordered banks to block 31,382 suspicious accounts. This total rose from 30,392 accounts found earlier. 

Officials say online gambling may harm household budgets and savings. It may also weaken trust in banks and payments. These risks have pushed regulators to act more firmly — and more often.

Many gambling casinos operate outside Indonesia. Still, they depend on local banks to move money. That link has placed banks under closer review. Regulators believe tracking payments often works better than blocking websites alone.

Banks told to block accounts and review activity

OJK issued the order during a press conference on 9 January. Banking Supervision head Dian Ediana Rae said banks must freeze the listed accounts. 

Banks must also review how the accounts were used. They need to check whether the accounts link to wider gambling networks. OJK said this step may reveal patterns that simple blocking cannot.

The regulator also told banks to close other accounts tied to the same national identity numbers. Stronger checks now apply to stop repeat access — often done through friends or third parties.

Banks were given three direct instructions:

• Block the identified gambling-linked accounts

• Close related accounts tied to the same identity numbers

• Apply stronger checks on unusual transactions

Crackdown builds on steady pressure in 2025

This move follows similar actions taken throughout 2025. In October, OJK ordered banks to block 27,395 accounts. One month earlier, the total stood at 25,912. Each rise followed new data and closer reviews.

Digital enforcement also increased during this period. Between late 2024 and September 2025, officials removed more than 2.8 million harmful online items. About 2.1 million were tied directly to online gambling. 

Banking sector stays stable despite tighter rules

Despite stricter controls, Indonesia’s banking sector remains stable. OJK said credit growth reached 7.74 percent in November. That figure rose from 7.36 percent in October.

Investment loans grew the fastest — close to 18 percent year on year. Consumer loans and business lending also increased. Third-party funds rose more than 12 percent to almost IDR 9,900 trillion.

Liquidity and capital levels stayed well above required limits. Hence, regulators say banks can enforce rules without slowing lending.

Focus remains on enforcement in 2026

OJK said action against illegal gambling will continue in 2026. Gambling networks keep changing payment methods and account names. Regulators believe close cooperation between banks and digital agencies remains key — as Indonesia works to protect users, trust, and economic stability.