Hundreds of Foreign Nationals Arrested in Jakarta over Online Gambling, Here's the Response from the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) continues to coordinate with the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in handling cases of international online gambling networks in Hayam Wuruk Plaza Tower, Jakarta. Minister Meutya Hafid stated that the case is currently under investigation by Polri. “So we are continuously coordinating with Polri, our team under the Directorate General of Digital Space Supervision is also continuously coordinating with Polri,” said Meutya when met after the operational inauguration of the Nusantara Lima Satellite in South Jakarta on Monday (11/5/2026). Because it is still in the investigation process, she stated that the latest developments regarding the case will be announced more by Polri. “We always work together with Polri and in this regard, updates related to the case in Hayam Wuruk will continue to be provided,” said Meutya. To date, Kemkomdigi has handled around 3 million negative contents, including those related to online gambling. Meutya emphasised that inter-agency cooperation is a form of the government’s seriousness in eradicating online gambling practices. “We know that this is a fairly extensive network, reaching international levels, and therefore various domestic stakeholders also need to join hands,” said Meutya. Previously, on Saturday (9/5/2026), Polri arrested 321 people related to online gambling crimes in an international network. Then, on Sunday (10/5/2026), Polri announced that 320 of them were foreign nationals (WNA) and their detention was handed over to the Directorate General of Immigration of the Ministry of Immigration and Community Protection (Kemenimipas). The 320 foreign nationals arrested consisted of 228 Vietnamese citizens, 57 Chinese citizens, 13 Myanmar citizens, 11 Laotian citizens, five Thai citizens, three Malaysian citizens, and three Cambodian citizens. Meanwhile, one other is an Indonesian citizen (WNI) and is being further processed at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri).