World Cup 2026: Online gambling deposits hit $63 million in Indonesia

Online gambling networks significantly increased their activity during the 2026 World Cup, exploiting the global football event to facilitate betting. Indonesia's Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) reported that deposits related to World Cup gambling reached 1.02 trillion Indonesian rupiah (approximately $63 million USD) between mid-June and July 2026.

During this period, PPATK identified 6,001,352 transactions linked to online gambling. The center also took the step of temporarily freezing 2,815 accounts, which held a total of 325.43 billion rupiah, to curb illicit financial flows. "The World Cup should be a moment to enjoy achievement and sportsmanship, not a gateway to gambling," stated Ivan Yustiavandana, head of PPATK, highlighting how quickly online gambling networks capitalized on public attention.

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The World Cup should be a moment to enjoy achievement and sportsmanship, not a gateway to gambling. The finding of more than 6 million transactions related to the World Cup in one month shows how quickly online gambling networks are exploiting public attention.

PPATK's analysis for the first half of 2026 revealed a total online gambling transaction value of 86.82 trillion rupiah from 467.32 million transactions. While the overall transaction value saw a slight decrease of 12.9% compared to the first half of 2025, the number of transactions surged by 167.2%. Deposit values also rose by 26%, indicating a shift towards more frequent, smaller transactions that are increasingly detectable by the financial system.

PPATK acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various government bodies, including the Ministry of Communication and Digital, Bank Indonesia, and the National Police, in strengthening oversight, blocking access, and cracking down on online gambling networks. The center emphasized that combating online gambling requires a comprehensive approach, involving cutting off funding, monitoring payment systems, and prosecuting operators and facilitators.

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So, however small suspicious transactions through the financial system are, they can be recognized.