Indonesian banks ordered to act on gambling-linked accounts
Indonesian authorities have ordered banks to tighten oversight of suspicious bank accounts, marking the latest move in a major effort to disrupt the financial networks that support the gray market.
Reportedly, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) has instructed banks to carry out enhanced due diligence and block bank accounts suspected of being linked to illegal online gambling. According to the regulator, 36,191 accounts have now been flagged for freezing, up by 2,355 accounts from the previous update released in April 2026.
Dian Ediana Rae, the OJK’s chief executive for banking supervision, claimed that the accounts were identified using information provided by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs.
Connected accounts to be monitored
Banks have also been asked to identify and close any additional accounts linked to the same national identification numbers. At the same time, they are expected to step up monitoring of customer profiles and transaction activity to better detect suspicious behaviour and meet regulatory requirements.
The regulator said the measures are aimed at preventing the banking system from being exploited for illegal activities that could threaten financial stability.
The latest directive reflects Indonesia’s increasingly aggressive approach to tackling illegal online gambling. While authorities initially focused on blocking gambling websites, the campaign has gradually expanded to target the financial infrastructure that enables operators to collect and move money.
Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) has also played a central role in the crackdown. In May 2025, the agency froze more than 28,000 bank accounts with charges of engaging in suspected online gambling after investigators found many had been used as mule accounts or traded to process deposits and withdrawals for illegal operators.
Instructions for KYC oversight
Banks have since been told to tighten their Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and strengthen anti-money laundering controls. They are expected to keep a closer eye on unusual transaction patterns and promptly report suspicious activity, making it harder for illegal gambling networks to move money through the banking system.
The crackdown extends beyond traditional banking. Indonesian authorities have given banks the green light to use web crawling tools and cyber patrols to scan gambling websites and social media platforms for payment accounts linked to illegal operators. The move is designed to identify newly created accounts before they become widely used for gambling transactions.
Regulators have also called for the use of more advanced monitoring technologies, including behaviour-based transaction analysis and artificial intelligence, to detect suspicious payment patterns more quickly. Cross-border transactions are also expected to receive closer scrutiny as authorities seek to curb the movement of gambling-related funds across jurisdictions.
Action on dormant accounts
Another major concern focus has been dormant or inactive bank accounts. Officials believe criminal networks have started to use these accounts for small transactions and so, such accounts will be targeted if they process gambling payments while avoiding detection. In response, PPATK has temporarily suspended thousands of dormant accounts as part of its efforts to disrupt illegal gambling and related money-laundering activities.
Authorities are also keeping a closer watch on e-wallets and other digital payment platforms after noticing that some illegal operators have started moving away from traditional bank accounts to avoid detection.
All in all, observers believe that Indonesia’s crackdown is no longer limited to taking gambling websites offline. Officials are now focusing on the flow of money behind these operations, with banks and payment providers playing a much bigger role in disrupting illegal gambling networks.
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