Banks Block 36,000 Accounts in Scam and Online Gambling Crackdown
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) will undertake development and strengthening in the banking sector through initiatives, one of which reinforces efforts to eradicate scams and online gambling.
Dian Ediana Rae, Chief Executive of Banking Supervision at OJK, stated that the OJK will build a secure digital financial ecosystem by requiring banks to perform Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) or account blocking. He noted that more than 36,735 accounts have been blocked to date. This figure is an increase from the previously recorded 36,191 accounts indicated for gambling activities, based on data submitted by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs.
“We are expanding on these reports by asking banks to close accounts that match the National Identity Number (NIK) of each party indicated for online gambling and to perform Enhanced Due Diligence,” he said during a virtual press conference on Tuesday (4/8/2026).
Additionally, he added that the OJK also held the Banking Forum 2026 with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs and the national banking industry on 14 July 2026, with the theme of Strengthening Banking Information Technology Governance and Increasing Efforts to Eradicate Financial Crime and Online Gambling in the Digital Era.
Dian previously stated that the increase in gambling accounts is a shared concern. According to him, there are several steps to strengthen the eradication of online gambling. Firstly, Dian said his party and related ministries and agencies will build closer collaboration. Furthermore, they will build an integrated system between agencies and the banking industry that provides information on gambling accounts.
“So that information related to online gambling accounts and those involved in online gambling can then be shared with all banking sectors,” Dian said during the OJK Banking Forum press conference at the Radius Prawiro Tower Building on Tuesday (14/7/2026).
He then highlighted the practice of buying and selling accounts, which is “very dangerous” for the Indonesian public. Therefore, Dian revealed that the OJK is building a system that can accommodate various reports regarding online gambling perpetrators.
“Now, if these people are put on the blacklist, which we call the perpetrator system, it will have fatal consequences,” Dian explained. He stated that many people currently need banking and payment system services. People who are blacklisted in the system will subsequently be unable to access the banking system. “Because being blacklisted will become a very serious problem,” Dian stressed.