Gambling in Indonesia
Despite its unusual position of spanning between two continents (Asia and Oceania) and being home to thousands of islands, Indonesia has a very healthy economy. But one thing it’s not big on is gambling in any form – and its government has gone to great lengths to keep it that way.
The vast majority of the country’s population are Muslim and strict rules about gambling are an integral part of their religion. It’s for this reason that no casinos, poker rooms, betting shops or bingo halls are legally run in the nation. Those who run illegal ones risk being raided by the police and may be sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison if caught.
But despite these strict rules, online casino games and sports betting are hugely popular in the country. The latter is especially popular, with e-sports attracting huge bets of thousands of pounds each day from avid Indonesian players.
The authorities are stepping up their efforts to prevent illegal gambling activities. Deputy Commissioner for Law and Investigation Rizal Ramadhani has asked banks to follow their customers’ profiles and transactions to find out who is funding online gambling sites. It’s expected that the move will help the authorities to cut each string of the illegal web that hovers above the local market.
For those who want to enjoy their favourite casino games without the worry of being caught by the police, it’s a good idea to check out a site that offers a range of payment options. Several of our top-rated Indonesian casinos accept PayPal, which is the most popular global eWallet around.