Indonesian National Police Uncover Online Gambling Network Using AI to Avoid Blocking
The Cybercrime Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency has uncovered a new modus operandi in the operations of online gambling networks in Indonesia, in which perpetrators are now using artificial intelligence technology to evade website blocking while also disguising the flow of proceeds from criminal activities. This revelation was made during a press conference on the online gambling case held in Jakarta on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The Director of Cybercrime at Bareskrim, Brig. Gen. Adex Yudiswan, explained that technological advancements enable perpetrators to quickly switch websites or bank accounts used to run these illegal operations as soon as authorities take action against one of their infrastructure components.
In his presentation, Adex highlighted the unique characteristics of online gambling crimes that distinguish them from other criminal offenses in general. He explained that high market demand for online gambling is the primary factor driving the emergence of parties who exploit this loophole to run illegal businesses—unlike other crimes, which are typically driven by the perpetrators’ circumstances. It is this high demand that causes online gambling networks to continue popping up even after one network has been taken down by law enforcement.
Layering and Nominee Accounts to Conceal Funds
One key finding revealed by Dittipidsiber is the use of nominee accounts and layering schemes by perpetrators to conceal the flow of funds derived from online gambling crimes. Technology is also utilized to accelerate the process of creating new websites as soon as a previous site is blocked by the relevant authorities, ensuring that the illegal business can continue to operate even after one of its digital infrastructures has been shut down. Adex explained that as soon as a website account is blocked, the perpetrators quickly set up a replacement website; similarly, when a personal bank account used for the operation is closed, they immediately switch to another account that had been prepared in advance.
In addition to rapidly replacing websites and accounts, online gambling networks also utilize automated systems—such as bots and artificial intelligence—to manage their various operational activities. The use of such technology allows perpetrators to act much faster when the digital infrastructure or accounts they use are successfully targeted by authorities, meaning that conventional blocking measures alone are no longer sufficient to completely halt the network’s operations.
Borderless Nature Poses a Challenge for Law Enforcement
Adex also emphasized that the borderless nature of online gambling poses a unique challenge in the process of investigating cases. A single online gambling network can operate different parts of its business in multiple countries simultaneously—for example, the marketing division might be in one country, while the website administrators are in a different one—making it far more complex to trace the network compared to conventional crimes centered in a single location.
Such cross-border conditions mean that addressing online gambling requires broader collaboration—whether between countries, among ministries and agencies, or among law enforcement agencies. This collaboration is necessary to trace the networks, digital infrastructure, bank accounts, and even the flow of funds used in the overall operations of online gambling that operate across jurisdictions.
Enforcement Goes Beyond Simply Blocking Websites
Adex emphasized that efforts to combat online gambling cannot stop at merely blocking websites, given that perpetrators have proven capable of establishing replacement infrastructure very quickly. The Cybercrime Investigation Directorate (Dittipidsiber) of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) is reportedly continuing to expand its investigations to uncover the networks and operational patterns behind these online gambling activities, including conducting a deeper trace of the proceeds of crime that have been obscured through multiple layers of transactions.
At the end of his statement, Adex reiterated the view he had expressed from the outset: that the concept of online gambling is fundamentally not a game, but rather a fraudulent scheme designed to systematically defraud its players.
