Indonesia blocks 3.7 million gambling sites in two‑year crackdown

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs reported that, since October 2024, it has removed 3.7 million online gambling websites and related digital content. The crackdown identified 156,000 suspected gambling accounts through a public‑reporting platform, flagged 85,500 mobile numbers as potential fraud tools, and targeted about 38,000 bank accounts linked to gambling, of which 32,500 have already been closed.

Minister Meutya Hafid said the agency is moving from a reactive takedown approach to pattern‑based detection, accelerating data sharing with banks and the Financial Services Authority. The strategy aims to spot gambling operations early using anomaly‑detection tools and to cut off financial flows supporting illegal gambling.

The announcement coincided with broader references to Indonesia shifting its overall strategy against online gambling, signalling a coordinated, multi‑agency effort to curb the industry.