PPATK Notes Shift in Online Gambling Transactions to QRIS with Smaller Nominal Values

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) has recorded that the national flow of online gambling funds fell by as much as 20 per cent throughout 2025.

Despite the decline in economic value, online gambling operators have been detected changing their transaction patterns and methods by exploiting Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) payments and other digital financial instruments.

Head of PPATK, Ivan Yustiavandana, said the value of online gambling fund flows fell from Rp359.81 trillion in 2024 to Rp286.84 trillion in 2025. Deposit values also declined from Rp51.3 trillion to Rp36.01 trillion.

“After rising continuously every year since 2017, the fall in the value of online gambling fund flows in 2025 is a historic milestone,” Ivan said in an official statement on Thursday (23 July).

Nevertheless, PPATK cautioned that online gambling activity remains high. In the first quarter of 2026, the value of fund flows still reached Rp40.3 trillion, with total deposits of Rp10.59 trillion. PPATK’s analysis shows that transactions are now more frequently carried out in smaller amounts.

The most striking change has occurred in deposit methods. Throughout 2025, 78.5 per cent of deposit frequency, or 305.35 million transactions, used QRIS, with a value of Rp19.35 trillion. In the first quarter of 2026, the share rose further to 88.6 per cent.

PPATK emphasised that QRIS is a legal payment instrument. The problem arises because online gambling networks exploit it to disguise transactions, meaning oversight of merchants and payment systems must be strengthened.

Head of PPATK Ivan Yustiavandana also revealed the abuse of QRIS and digital instruments by online gambling networks through complex methods such as deepfakes and forged electronic identity cards (e-KTP).