Secret International Online Gambling Headquarters in Jakarta

Amid the hustle and bustle of Jakarta’s business centre, an office building in the Hayam Wuruk area of West Jakarta has allegedly been secretly repurposed as an operational headquarters for international online gambling. Unlike a hidden casino or conventional gambling den, the illegal activities were conducted from rooms resembling a modern office, complete with rows of computers, motivational slogans on the walls, and dozens of people working as if in a typical digital company. This fact came to light following a raid by the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (Dittipidum) of Bareskrim Polri, in collaboration with Polda Metro Jaya, on the building on Saturday (9/5/2026). From the raid, police arrested 321 individuals suspected of involvement in a cross-border online gambling network. Of these, 320 were foreign nationals (WNA), while one was an Indonesian citizen (WNI). This case is not merely the exposure of ordinary online gambling practices. Authorities see signs of a shift in international cybercrime operations to Indonesia, including Jakarta. The operational location is in a strategic area of Jakarta, long known for its office and trading districts. From photos received by Kompas.com, the atmosphere inside the building even resembled a modern co-working space. Dozens of computers were neatly arranged, complete with office decorations and motivational slogans such as “Ora et Labora” and “Can’t, But We Can”. However, behind the modern office facade, hundreds of workers were suspected of conducting cross-border online gambling activities. “We arrested the perpetrators red-handed. In other words, the perpetrators were carrying out operational activities or online gambling activities,” said Wira.