Jakarta, 9 September 2026. Indonesia's fight against judi online has changed shape this year. Blocking a domain is no longer the end of the job: the government says it now goes after the whole ecosystem that keeps a gambling network alive, from payment channels and mobile-credit sites to the promoters and the developers.
The numbers so far in 2026
- The National Police (Polri) opened 718 online gambling cases, named 1,164 suspects and seized evidence worth Rp1.75 trillion.
- Together with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, about 278,000 sites and pieces of content were blocked.
- Access to 32 phone-credit (pulsa) sites tied to gambling deposits was cut.
Why blocking alone stopped working
On 3 September the police cyber directorate described networks that use AI to spin up new domains the moment an old one is blocked and to disguise money flows. The financial regulator OJK said the same thing from the banking side: enforcement cannot stop at blocking, the money has to be cut off.
What it means for bettors
Online betting remains illegal in Indonesia, and nothing in the 2026 strategy points towards licensing. Expect more domains to stop resolving, more deposit friction and faster takedowns of mirror sites. If you use an offshore bookmaker, stick to operators with a recognised international licence, keep deposits small and use the limits the site offers. Our reviews exist to inform, not to encourage anyone to break the law.
Sources: ANTARA News, Polri (July–September 2026), OJK.
Author
Jarin Ahmed
