Indonesia warns against bank account misuse for online gambling

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has warned the public regarding the careless lending of their bank accounts, emphasizing that such actions could lead to misuse for online gambling-related purposes.

During a press conference on Tuesday, he urged individuals to reject any offers of borrowing fees in exchange for their bank accounts.

“You must decline such offers, as your names and bank accounts may be misused for online gambling,” he said.

Effendy, who also serves as the Deputy Head of the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force, underlined that this practice facilitates illegal gambling, which is a criminal offense punishable under Indonesian law.

“Those who facilitate online gambling are subject to incarceration,” he stressed.

The Electronic Information and Transactions Law stipulates that facilitators can face up to six months of imprisonment and/or a fine of Rp1 billion (around US$61,000).

On June 14, President Joko Widodo signed a presidential decree establishing the Online Gambling Eradication Task Force.This task force, chaired by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto, will operate until December 31.

On the following day, Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi reported that his ministry has succesfully blocked nearly 3 million items of online gambling content since July 17, 2023.