Indonesia: Illegal online gambling linked to money laundering

Indonesia’s Minister of Communications and Informatics (Kominfo) Budi Arie Setiadi claimed that findings from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) indicated that several illegal online gambling activities have ties to money laundering.

As reported by news agencies, including Star Malaysia, the statement was made by Budi during a meeting with the House of Representatives Commission I that oversees communications and information, defence, intelligence and foreign affairs. The minister however did not elaborate further on the cases mentioned. 

Earlier, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Hadi Tjahjanto disclosed PPATK’s findings that online gambling activities from January to March had a combined transactional value of Rp100trn (US$ 6.1bn), approximately one-third of the full-year transactional value of online gambling activities in 2023, which was valued at Rp327trn. 

Budi’s statement however had fellow Commission I member Nurul Arifin (Golkar Party faction) questioning the minister’s effort in effectively eradicating the illegal activity, as well as doubting the effectiveness of the ministry’s 2025 budget proposal for preventing online gambling based on her observation of the ministry’s current failure. 

Minister Budi’s efforts in illegal online gambling eradication included forming a special task force and clamping down on illegal sites online.