Key Moments:
- Regulators in Indonesia have removed more than 5.7 million gambling-related posts over the past eight years.
- Populix research shows that 98 percent of Indonesian social media users have seen gambling ads and 32 percent tried online gambling after exposure.
- Online gambling transactions reportedly reached 927 trillion rupiah between 2017 and the first quarter of 2025, with about 80 percent of users identified as students or from low-income backgrounds.
Surge in Deceptive Gambling Advertisements
A flood of concealed gambling advertisements continues to reach users across Meta’s platforms in Indonesia, uncovering ongoing vulnerabilities in ad oversight mechanisms. Despite longstanding enforcement, gambling promoters have refined their strategies by masking paid promotions as innocuous posts, effectively directing people to offshore betting websites operating outside Indonesia’s legal reach.
Recent findings indicate that these operators nimbly adapt in a landscape where both online gambling and its advertising are illegal. Offshore entities conceal their promotions using misleading themes and opaque social media accounts.
How Operators Mask Their Paid Promotions
Research has identified numerous paid advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads that outwardly appeared to endorse health, fruit, or casual gaming content. When clicked, however, users are redirected to gambling sites offering monetary incentives to sign up or participate.
Examples include promotions with titles such as “Pomegranate: The Exotic Red Fruit Rich in Benefits,” which ultimately funnel users to betting pages that promise the chance to “directly win.” The campaigns originate from accounts registered in places like Hanoi and managed by unidentified owners, allowing promoters to present a facade of legitimacy until the end user lands on an online gambling platform. Indonesia’s comprehensive ban on online betting has done little to halt these efforts, with large sums continuing to move through the sector.
Escalating User Concerns and Platform Response
Gambling advertising now regularly appears in everyday feeds, to the increasing concern of both adults and younger social media users.
Zee, a 32-year-old gamer, said seeing these ads on Instagram felt unsettling.
“It’s become really disturbing. I suspect their target is people who like playing games, therefore children can also see such advertisements.”
Another user, Moli, mentioned consistently reporting the ads but said they persistently reappear through newly created accounts. This recurring pattern points to ongoing challenges in accurately detecting disguised gambling content at scale.
Meta reportedly removed nearly two dozen advertisements upon notification, but did not address further questions regarding the ongoing issue.
Regulatory Clampdown and Enforcement Actions
Indonesian regulators have intensified their crackdown, removing more than 5.7 million pieces of gambling-related content in the last eight years. Law enforcement efforts have included the arrest of at least 85 influencers who promoted online betting in the previous year. Penalties for those involved can reach up to ten years of imprisonment for promoters and up to four years for gamblers.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs continuously urges social media platforms to take down prohibited material, with Director General Alexander Sabar stating that persistent non-compliance will lead to increased warnings and possible access restrictions. In one instance, TikTok’s operating license was temporarily suspended after the company failed to provide requested information connected to suspected gambling activities.
Exposure and User Behavior Statistics
Recent research from Populix illustrates the extent of gambling promotion visibility in Indonesia. According to their study, 98 percent of social media users have encountered some form of online gambling promotion, including paid ads. Of those exposed, 32 percent tried online gambling, while 4 percent continue to participate.
Populix comments that much of the advertising uses the allure of easy victory as a compelling hook for first-time engagement. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre has reported that transactions related to online gambling totaled 927 trillion rupiah between 2017 and Q1 of 2025. It is further noted that roughly 80 percent of users are drawn from student or low-income demographics, underscoring the broad reach of these campaigns.
| Statistic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Gambling Content Removed | 5.7 million (past eight years) |
| Advertising Exposure Rate | 98 percent of social media users |
| Transaction Volume (2017 – Q1 2025) | 927 trillion rupiah |
| Influencers Arrested (Past Year) | At least 85 |
| Penalties for Promoters | Up to ten years imprisonment |
| Penalties for Gamblers | Up to four years imprisonment |
Implications for Digital Oversight
These trends present a growing challenge for digital platforms and regulators alike. Patterns of disguised advertising and cross-border promotion raise critical questions about current detection systems and response times. Authorities may need to bolster both enforcement and cooperation with platform providers to keep pace with quickly evolving operator tactics.
For those in the industry, these actions signal that digital advertising ecosystems can often advance more rapidly than regulatory capabilities. The Indonesian experience could provide important insights for other jurisdictions seeking to address similar issues in online gambling regulation and platform accountability.
- Author
Daniel Williams
