Batam police raid suspected casino, detain 197 people

Indonesian police authorities, including Bareskrim Polri, the Riau Islands Regional Police, and Polresta Barelang, conducted a raid on a suspected casino located in a shophouse in the Nagoya area of Batam on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

A total of 197 individuals were detained during the operation. The group includes an individual identified by the initial ‘A’ as the owner, two managers, five cashiers, one supervisor, 25 chip exchangers, 65 dealers, two marketing staff, and 96 players. Among the players, 86 are Indonesian citizens, while 10 are foreign nationals, including seven from China, two from Singapore, and one from Malaysia.

Law enforcement officials seized approximately Rp7.79 billion in total cash. This includes Rp7.297 billion found in three safes and roughly Rp500 million from chip exchange activities. The raid followed a two-to-three-month investigation initiated by community reports and media information.