The most recent data from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs of Indonesia show that the total deposits of the networked gaming platform in the country from January to June 2025 amounted to $1.04 billion, highlighting the continued expansion of illegal gaming despite the years of fighting. The authorities have stated, frankly, that the speed of closure of the gaming platform is almost equal to its rate of rebirth.
Safariantha Janval Rocidi, Director of Digital Space Control, Ministry of Communications and Digital, described the growth of web-based lottery deposits as a “global challenge” that continued to erode social well-being. He said in national forums: “We have banned millions of gambling content, but new content is still emerging at the same speed. This requires a concerted global response. Officially, undocumented network lottery has become the most complex digital governance challenge in Indonesia, combining financial crime, labour exploitation and social harm. Data from the Financial Transactions Reporting and Analysis Centre show that the cumulative scale of gambling transactions from 2017 to early 2025 amounted to 9.27 trillion guilders (approximately $56.8 billion). According to the National Police Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, police have so far seized $925 billion (approximately $567 million) of online lottery assets. The investigators also found numerous cases of Indonesian workers being lured into labour exploitation by foreign lottery operators with false recruitment.
According to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Statistics, 70 per cent of Internet gamblers earn less than 5 million guilders per month (approximately $307), most of which depend on government welfare. At present, 603,000 welfare recipients have been suspended for their gambling. In response, the Ministry has launched a three-pronged strategy: closing up the lottery domain, conducting coordinated network patrols, conducting financial transaction tracking and comprehensively combating the lottery business chain. Yet, in the face of billions of dollars that continue to flow through illegal platforms, the core question remains: will Indonesia ‘ s new round of governance be effective in curbing its thriving network-based lottery economy?
