Tim Alper is a journalist who covers betting news and regulation for CasinoBeats. He joined the CasinoBeats team in May 2025. He reports on breaking news and developments in the world of betting, casinos, and...
Read Full BioPublic prosecutors are seeking to jail several people suspected of protecting illegal Indonesian online casino sites from government crackdowns for between 12 and 15 years.
The Indonesian media outlet Antara News reported that one of the accused, named in the media as Darmawati, attended a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court in the capital on July 23, 2025.
At the hearing, prosecution service’s Pompy Polansky Alanda told the court that Darmawati should serve a dozen years behind bars, minus time already served.
Prosecutors think that Darmawati and her husband, Agus (also referred to as Muhrijan in several reports), helped mastermind a “protection” scheme to help online gambling sites evade blocking orders from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi).
Officials think several ministry officials helped orchestrate the scheme, which allegedly saw gambling firms hand over vast sums of money to continue operating amid police crackdowns.
Payoffs Were Used to Purchase Luxury Items Including Cars, Jewelry
Prosecutors say Agus helped coordinate meetings with liaison agents representing gambling site owners.
Officials say the duo received multiple payments in cash and via bank transfer between April to October 2024. Darmawati allegedly used the money to buy luxury items, including cars and jewelry.
The prosecutor also demanded that the court order Darmawati to pay a fine of IDR 250 million ($15,347) or serve an additional three months in jail.
Trials have also begun for several others suspected of coordinating the scheme. Around 10 former ministry employees have also been charged, in addition to several online gambling site managers.
Police think two individuals responsible for filtering online gambling websites at the ministry took steps to prevent sites from being blocked.
Another Indonesian media outlet, Viva, reported that the prosecution service wants the court to jail one former ministry staffer for between seven and nine years.
But it has sought shorter jail terms for some of the other ministry employees, claiming they played lesser roles in the scheme.
Prosecutors want another man, suspected of laundering the funds, to spend 15 years behind bars.
Crackdowns Intensify as Indonesia Targets Illegal Gambling
Gambling is illegal in Indonesia, but scores of illegal casino sites continue to operate in the country despite recent crackdowns.
Controversy has also erupted over government claims that some 600,000 welfare beneficiaries have used state handouts to place online bets.
In May this year, the head of the nation’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center said Indonesian officials have frozen over 5,000 bank accounts linked to illegal gambling.
The accounts contain $36.2 million worth of assets. Media outlets in the country say the government is looking to “intensify” its nationwide anti-gambling drive.
