The pattern is now visible in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore. The authorities in Asian countries are concerned with illegal gambling prevention, and the payment layer appears to be one of the most practical points of intervention.
One Direction Across Jurisdictions
The latest move in India is an example of the tax and online enforcement tools being combined. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence announced in March 2025 that around 700 offshore online money gaming, betting, and gambling entities were under their scanner. At the same time, 357 websites and URLs had already been blocked with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Section 69 of the IT Act. The official rationale was action against illegal or non-compliant overseas operators that were evading their GST duties.
Indonesia is tackling the problem from the transaction end. OJK, the country’s Financial Services Authority, reported that banks had been asked to block around 32,144 accounts linked to online gambling by early February 2026, up from an earlier 31,382.
In another instance, PPATK, Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, said that online gambling turnover had declined to Rp155 trillion through the third quarter of 2025, compared to Rp359 trillion in 2024. This does not prove that the market has been cleaned up. However, it does indicate that the ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal transactions are disrupting the financial flows behind illicit activities.
The Focus Is Moving From Operators to Intermediaries
The Philippines provides probably the clearest indication of where the regulation might be heading. In its 2025 exposure draft, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the country’s central bank, proposed tougher regulations for payment firms involved in online gambling transactions. As per the proposal, these firms would need prior approval, would be barred from referring customers to gambling sites, and would face tougher compliance requirements.
Singapore, however, is different from its Asian counterparts, mainly because the legal mechanism already exists there. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has the power to issue Payment Blocking Orders to financial institutions under Section 21(3) of the Remote Gambling Act. Thus, payment controls are already embedded in the enforcement architecture.
Final Notes
For licensed operators and fintech partners in Asia, the regulatory direction is becoming more concrete. The focus is now extending to the payment systems, as these facilitate the movement of money into, out of, and within gambling platforms. Therefore, payment structures, transaction monitoring, and partner selection are more significant than ever.
