The Visa Loophole Fueling Indonesia’s IDR 13.9T Gambling Ring

According to Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, the Deputy Head of Bareskrim, digital forensics conducted on a platform belonging to one of the suspects exposed the network’s massive scale. Beyond the sheer volume of deposits, investigators report that the syndicate successfully raked in an estimated profit of IDR 1.69 trillion (approx. USD $95 million).

To evade local web blocks, the syndicate operated at least 145 different online gambling websites sequentially, utilizing overseas hosting services and servers located in countries like Brazil and Vietnam. The network heavily relied on social media platforms for marketing, while funneling their financial transactions through crypto assets and nominee bank accounts.

The raid resulted in the arrest of 291 suspects, highlighting the highly international nature of the operation. While four Indonesian citizens (WNI) were arrested for handling domestic operations —including banking, crypto management, and building logistics— the vast majority (287 suspects) are foreign nationals (WNA).

– Vietnam: 185 people
– China: 76 people
– Myanmar: 15 people
– Thailand: 6 people
– Laos: 3 people
– Malaysia: 2 people

Exploiting the Immigration System

A separate investigation by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration revealed that most of the foreign workers actively abused local visa policies. Rather than securing proper work permits, the majority entered the country on visas intended purely for assessing business opportunities or casual visits:

^{Source: Tempo}

Immigration authorities have flagged 15 local companies that acted as corporate visa sponsors for these foreign nationals. These companies are currently being summoned for mandatory questioning to determine their level of complicity in the syndicate’s operations.

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