Online Gambling Laws in Indonesia

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Robin Storm
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Thanks to its predominantly Muslim population, Indonesia has some of the strictest gambling laws in the world; according to the religion of Islam, which is practised by 85% of the region's population, gambling is forbidden, and the country's laws reflect that belief. Look at the details in our article on Indonesian gambling laws below.

Gambling regulations in indonesia

Gambling Regulation by Casino Type

The overall stance of Indonesia when it comes to gambling is that it is strictly illegal. This is quite unusual compared to other countries around the world. Even locations typically seen as very strict still manage to permit some forms of gambling, however limited.

The strict nature of Indonesia's gambling laws comes from the fact that the vast majority - around 85% - of the archipelago's population observes the religion of Islam, which forbids any gambling. Let's delve a little deeper into the legal gambling situation in Indonesia with a brief look at each activity.

Casino Games

Casino gaming is illegal in Indonesia. Even though the collection of 17,500 islands is one of the world's top holiday destinations, offering an exquisite collection of stunning tourist attractions, you will not find a single casino resort anywhere within the country.

The result, of course, is that some forms of casino gaming, such as Blackjack and Roulette, have been driven underground and are operated in secret. These illicit activities are usually busted in the end, with many unsuspecting tourists getting caught up in the raid and suffering the often severe punishments.

In terms of online casino gaming, this activity is illegal within the island nation's borders. Anyone caught gambling online within the country faces possible jail time of up to 5 years. This, however, has proven difficult to enforce and hasn't stopped several online casinos, including some big brand names, from accepting new members from Indonesia.

Poker

Just like other table games, poker is explicitly illegal in all forms in Indonesia. As with other card games, poker play in the country has been driven underground, with secretive venues often busted by the authorities and participants severely punished.

Gambling laws in the country mean online poker is strictly prohibited, whether online casino-based games against a computer or the player versus player-hosted games of pure poker sites. Again, anyone caught playing online poker in Indonesia potentially faces a few years of jail time. Many Indonesians still risk getting caught by joining and playing at one of the many online casinos or poker sites that accept Indonesian residents.

Bingo

Some countries have quite a relaxed view of bingo, especially games that are run at fairs for charities, for example. However, this is certainly not the case in Indonesia, where the activity is still very much classed as gambling and, as such, is strictly prohibited under Sharia Law. As a result, you will not find any bingo halls or charitable social bingo events in the country.

Online bingo gambling is also illegal in Indonesia, with the government going to great lengths to actively block offshore sites from offering online bingo services to anyone in the country.

Lotteries

Betting on the lottery is an activity that isn't viewed as gambling in many countries since it has become so intertwined in the local culture. Even in places where other forms of gambling are illegal, it's common to find that government lotteries are permitted. However, this is generally not the case in Indonesia, with one very small exception.

A free lottery can be licensed in the country, but even that has come under increasing pressure as it sits on the edge of gambling and is frowned upon by much of the Muslim community. Many Indonesian residents can still access and play online lottery games for real money via the many online casinos that offer these betting opportunities.

Social Casinos and Crypto Casinos

So what about the various social casinos that let you play games with nothing more than play chips? Although technically, these sites do not offer real money gambling, it is still a form of gambling, even though nothing of monetary value is available. Some social casinos also allow their members to buy more play chips with real money, so this would take you even closer to actual gambling, which is illegal in Indonesia.

Similarly, the increasingly popular trend of skin gambling would also be considered illegal in Indonesia as it involves betting items of perceived value in games of risk. Fantasy sports betting, virtual sports betting, esports betting and bitcoin gambling are also deemed illegal in Indonesia.

Sportsbet laws

Indonesia Sports Betting Laws

Indonesia's strict stance against all forms of gambling was supposedly triggered by massive sports betting around the Euro 2012 football tournament. Rather than working out a way to turn the activity into another source of revenue for the region, the government of Indonesia announced plans to make gambling illegal entirely.

As a result, you won't find any legal sports betting shops in Indonesia. There may be instances of illicit sports betting scattered across the country, but these activities risk being raided, with participants potentially suffering stiff punishments.

As with online casino gaming, sports betting is illegal in the country. However, many residents persist with their favourite pastime by joining one of the many online sports betting sites that accept Indonesians.

Gambling Age Restriction

Gambling in Indonesia has no legal age since all forms are illegal.

Tax Regulation

The gambling tax regulation in Indonesia does not exist as the activity is strictly prohibited in all its forms.

History of Gambling Laws in Indonesia

As strict as the current gambling laws in Indonesia are, the activity was not always illegal. When Ali Sadikin was governor of Jakarta between 1966 and 1977, he famously legalized gambling to generate much-needed revenue for the country's development.

Three casinos were built, and several forms of gambling, such as lotteries and sports betting, were permitted, which resulted in the country's budget soaring from Rp 66 million to over Rp 89 billion. This windfall was pumped back into the country through new schools, medical centres and marketplaces.

All three of Jakarta's casinos were closed by 1981, and by the late 1980s, sales of lottery tickets and sports bets had also been stopped. After the massive popularity of sports betting on the Euro 2012 football tournament, the government introduced laws to make all forms of gambling illegal in Article 303 of the Criminal Code.

Key facts

Key Facts

The key facts regarding online gambling in Indonesia are pretty straightforward: all forms of gambling are illegal and punishable by 3-5 years in prison, a hefty fine or even a public caning. This is a result of the beliefs of the majority Muslim population that gambling is forbidden under Sharia Law.

The only exception is the free lottery, which is currently under licence, but even that faces a lot of protest and backlash. Despite the legal climate, severe punishments and the government's efforts to prevent online gambling, many Indonesians still play online casino slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker and other games via the numerous online casinos that accept Indonesians.

Robin Storm

Robin Storm

Author & Casino Games Expert

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Robin works tirelessly to make gambling fun and worry-free for all players. With his impressive industry experience, he is passionate about being able to play casino games in a fun and safe environment, ensuring players avoid all the hassles that may appear.
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