Gambling Laws in Indonesia

Due 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 this.

Indonesia: Which Gambling Activities Are Legal?

The overall stance of Indonesia is that all types of gambling are illegal, which is quite unusual compared to other countries around the world. Even locations typically seen as very strict still manage to permit some activities, however limited.

Indonesia's ban on gambling comes from the fact that the vast majority of the archipelago's population observes the religion of Islam.

Betting on Offline and Online Casino Games

Land-based casinos are illegal in Indonesia. Even though the collection of islands is one of the world's top holiday destinations, offering stunning tourist attractions. You will not find a single casino resort anywhere. The result is that some forms of casino gambling in Indonesia have been driven underground and operate in secret. These illicit activities are usually busted in the end, with many unsuspecting tourists getting caught up and suffering often severe punishments.

Anyone caught gambling online within the country faces possible jail time of up to 5 years. However, this has proven difficult to enforce and hasn't stopped several platforms, including some big brand names from accepting members in Indonesia.

Playing Real Money Poker

Poker is explicitly illegal in all forms in Indonesia. As with other card games, this outright ban has driven players underground with secretive venues often busted by authorities and participants severely punished.

Gambling laws also mean online poker is strictly prohibited. Whether on casino-based games or the player versus player-hosted games of pure poker sites. Again, anyone caught playing online poker potentially faces a few years of jail time.

Bingo Gambling

Some countries have quite a relaxed view of bingo, especially games which are run for charities. However, this is not the case in Indonesia, where the activity is classed as gambling and strictly prohibited under Sharia Law. As a result, you will not find any bingo halls or charitable social events in the country. Online bingo gambling is also illegal, with the government going to great lengths to actively block sites from offering services to anyone in the country.

Purchasing Lotto Tickets

Betting on the lottery is an activity that isn't viewed as gambling in many countries since it has become so intertwined in local cultures. However, this is not the case in Indonesia, with one tiny exception.

A free lottery can be licensed but even this has come under increasing pressure. This is because the activity sits on the edge of gambling and is frowned upon by the Muslim community.

Social Gambling and Online Crypto Casinos

So what about the various social casinos that let you enjoy games with 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. Gambling in Indonesia in private homes with friends is strictly illegal too.

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, virtual sports, eSports betting and bitcoin gambling are also deemed illegal in Indonesia.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Indonesia?

Indonesia's strict stance against gambling was triggered by a massive upsurge in sports betting around the Euro 2012 football tournament. Rather than working out a way to turn the activity into a source of revenue, the government announced plans to make gambling illegal entirely. As with online casino games in Indonesia, sports betting is illegal too. However, many residents persist with their favourite pastime by joining offshore sites that accept players from the region.

What's the Minimum Gambling Age in Indonesia?

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

Indonesian Gambling Tax Regulations - Do Winners Pay?

The gambling tax regulations in Indonesia do not exist as the activity is strictly prohibited.

History of Gambling Laws in Indonesia

As strict as the current gambling laws are, it wasn't always this way.

When Ali Sadikin was governor of Jakarta between 1966 and 1977, he famously legalised 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. This resulted in the country's budget soaring from Rp 66 million to over Rp 89 billion. This windfall was pumped back into the region through new schools, medical centres and marketplaces. All three 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

Gambling laws in Indonesia are pretty straightforward: all activites 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 under Sharia Law. The only exception is the free lottery which is currently under licence, but even that faces protest and backlash.

Despite the legal climate, severe punishments and the government's efforts to prevent gambling, many residents still play online casino slots and other games via numerous offshore platforms.