Banks Take a Bigger Role in Indonesia’s Gambling Crackdown

The new number was reported by Otoritas Jasa Keuangan in its March 2026 board update, released on April 6, following a meeting held in Jakarta on April 1. OJK said banks were instructed to conduct Enhanced Due Diligence and/or block 33,252 accounts suspected of involvement in online gambling. This puts the emphasis not just on law enforcement but also on banking control.

Blocked Accounts Keep Moving Higher

According to OJK, the number of blocked accounts has been rising in the last three public reports. The total stood at 32,144 in early February, 32,556 in early March, and 33,252 in early April. The enforcement line is not static. The figures show that OJK’s account-blocking effort has continued to expand across successive public updates.

This consistent increase suggests that Indonesia is using the financial system as one of the key levers against illegal gambling. OJK considers this issue to have widespread implications not only for the country’s economy but also for the financial industry as a whole. This helps explain why the regulator is using supervisory tools such as enhanced due diligence and account screening.

More Than a One-Off Sweep

In the same March update, OJK said six rural banks have lost their licences in 2026 to date. OJK also noted that it continued coordinating with the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) under the P2SK framework.

The regulator appears to see illegal gambling as part of an overall integrity and risk-management agenda for banks. The implication for payment processors, lenders, and compliance officers is that customer checks in relation to suspicious gambling activity is no longer an after-the-fact task.

Indonesia’s recent development is notable not only in terms of the 33,252-account figure. More important is the move in a certain direction. The numbers reflect steadily tighter banking controls month after month. This makes the crackdown important for the finance sector beyond just the account-blocking figure.