Indonesian authorities have dismantled one of the country’s largest alleged online gambling operations after raiding offices in Jakarta and arresting more than 300 foreign nationals.
The investigation began after police received reports of suspicious activity inside Hayam Wuruk Plaza Tower in West Jakarta. Raids on the building’s 20th and 21st floors uncovered an operation believed to be running nearly 150 illegal gambling websites targeting customers across Asia.
Most of those arrested were Vietnamese nationals, alongside suspects from China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, and four Indonesians accused of supporting the group’s local operations. Police have identified 287 individuals as suspects while investigations continue.
Cross-Border Infrastructure
Investigators said the gambling network operated from Indonesia while hosting its technical infrastructure overseas.
Servers were reportedly located in Brazil, the Philippines, China, and Vietnam, allowing the organization to continue operating through mirror websites whenever domains were blocked.
Police seized nearly 600 mobile phones, around 400 laptops, desktop computers, networking equipment, passports, and cash in multiple currencies worth almost US$500,000.
Financial records examined during the investigation suggest one platform processed more than US$778 million in customer deposits, while parts of the organization generated profits of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Crypto Payments and Fake Businesses
Authorities allege the group disguised its operations as technology and digital marketing companies while using cryptocurrencies, including USDT, to process payments and reduce financial traceability.
The operation reportedly employed around 175 customer support staff, alongside teams responsible for software development, marketing, finance, operations, and employee training.
Police are now working with immigration authorities and financial crime investigators to trace assets, examine suspected cryptocurrency transactions, and investigate 15 companies believed to have assisted foreign nationals in entering Indonesia to work for the network.
The investigation comes as Indonesian authorities intensify efforts against illegal online gambling during the FIFA World Cup, with officials warning that increasingly sophisticated betting networks continue to target local consumers.
