Padel Jakarta: Sports Trend or Regulatory Grey Zone?

In Jakarta, behind glass-walled courts and prime-time schedules that are consistently fully booked, the rapid expansion of padel raises questions as pressing as the sound of the ball bouncing off the walls: is this merely a trend among the urban middle class, or is it moving through a regulatory grey zone?

Over recent years, padel courts have proliferated across various parts of the city. Rental fees reaching hundreds of thousands of rupiah per hour have not deterred interest. Communities have grown, social media posts have increased, and padel’s image as a modern and social sport have led to its rapid acceptance.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has assured that padel courts without Building Approval (PBG) will face strict sanctions. He cited operational shutdowns, building demolition, and business licence revocation as measures the government is preparing. “Buildings or padel courts that do not have PBG will be stopped from operating, demolished, and have their business licences revoked, because we suspect there are some—the exact number will be confirmed by Citata,” said Pramono on Wednesday (25 February 2026).

Additionally, courts located in residential areas will have operations limited until 8:00 p.m. and are required to install soundproofing equipment if they generate noise. Pramono also stressed that construction of new padel courts is not permitted in residential zones. This assertion demonstrates that the government views padel’s growth not merely as a lifestyle phenomenon, but also as an issue of urban planning and building code compliance.

“Most importantly, for the construction of new padel courts going forward, they must obtain prior technical approval from the Department of Youth and Sports,” said Pramono. Data from the Jakarta Department of Public Works, Spatial Planning and Land (Citata) underscores the urgency of this enforcement. The head of Citata, Vera Revina Sari, noted that as of 23 February 2026, there are 397 padel courts operating in Jakarta.