Online Poker in Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the rapidly growing countries in South-East Asia. With an economy growing at around 5% a year, the potential for development is enormous. However, despite this potential the Indonesian government has implemented legislation which severely limits the number of poker rooms and online gambling websites which can be opened up in the country. However, apart from the prohibitive law on all kinds of gambling, most offshore poker websites still provide access to their games to residents of Indonesia, for example through their Indonesian subsidiary companies.

As most poker rooms and casinos in Indonesia require large sums of capital to open and operate, the number of players seeking entry into these gambling venues is limited. Consequently, over the last few years, a number of new Indonesian companies have entered the offshore gambling industry, with the aim of providing customers with access to the online poker rooms and casinos in Indonesia. However, as many such new companies come under the banner of larger international companies with higher funding, the corruption risk associated with the often porous nature of the Indonesian financial system has given rise to a situation where some of these new companies have been dissolved, and others have been forced into bankruptcy. This means that the supply of online poker rooms and casinos in Indonesia has become increasingly dependent on the patronage of existing large scale companies.

Poker rooms in Indonesia allow players from around the world to play poker at any time, from any location. Moreover, poker rooms in Indonesia which are licensed by Indonesian law are also frequented by tourists, who make money through the sale of cards, chips or coins. This is perhaps one of the most lucrative aspects of playing poker online in Indonesia. Many players will transfer money to their credit cards in Indonesia, making it easy for them to make transfers to other parts of the world. However, it is important to note that online poker rooms in Indonesia which do not accept players from within the country will be subject to severe punishment, including closure and possible fines. Poker players need to ensure that any sites they join are licensed by Indonesian law, and that they are not advertising gambling activities within Indonesia in order to avoid being subjected to the local law’s strict regulations.