BALI, Indonesia: An Indonesian court has sentenced dozens of Indian nationals to prison for their involvement in an illegal online gambling operation on the resort island of Bali, ordering their deportation after they serve their sentences.
Presiding Judge Putu Gde Novyartha found the defendants guilty at a hearing this week, sentencing most of them to two years in prison. Two defendants received sentences of two and a half years.
The judge also ordered the defendants to be deported after completing their prison terms and barred them from returning to Indonesia.
Arrests in Bali
Police arrested 39 Indian nationals in February at two villas in separate locations on Bali. Authorities subsequently charged 35 of them.
According to police, the group had entered Indonesia on tourist visas and had been promoting and managing transactions for an online gambling website since late last year.
Investigators said the operation generated up to eight billion rupiah — approximately $450,000 — a month.
Gambling Crackdown
Gambling is illegal in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, and penalties can apply to bookmakers, gamblers, people who promote gambling online and others involved in the activity.
Official data showed that transactions linked to online gambling in Indonesia exceeded 280 trillion rupiah last year. More than 12 million of the country’s 287 million people were estimated to have participated in the illicit activity, most as gamblers.
Visa Rules Under Review
Indonesian authorities said in May that they would review visa-free entry arrangements for nationals of Southeast Asian countries following a series of arrests involving foreigners accused of operating illegal gambling and scam networks.
Investigators have found that many people allegedly linked to an illegal gambling centre in Jakarta had entered Indonesia through visa-waiver arrangements or obtained permits on arrival.
The review reflects growing concern among authorities about foreign nationals using short-term entry arrangements to operate illegal businesses in the country.
Indonesia has continued efforts to combat online gambling, which authorities regard as a significant legal and social problem.
