Indonesia Battles Deceptive Social Media Ads Promoting Illegal Online Gambling

As of November 2025, Indonesian authorities have been engaged in an ongoing battle against the proliferation of deceptive online gambling advertisements on social media platforms. Over the past eight years, they have taken down more than 5.7 million pieces of gambling-related content, but the problem persists.

Gambling promoters have been using sophisticated tactics to circumvent the ban on such advertisements in Indonesia. They are disguising their paid ads as innocuous content, such as tips for treating diabetes or promoting the health benefits of fruits, in order to reach users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. This has proven to be a major challenge for Meta, the parent company of these platforms, which could potentially face government sanctions if it fails to address the violations.

The impact of these deceptive tactics has been significant. A forthcoming study from Indonesian research firm Populix reveals that 98% of social media users in the country have been exposed to gambling promotions, and 32% of those users say they eventually tried online gambling after seeing such ads in their feeds. The study also found that 4% of those who tried online gambling continue to gamble.

The Indonesian government has taken a hard stance on this issue, with steep penalties in place, including potential prison terms of up to 10 years for those involved in promoting online betting. Police have also stepped up enforcement, with at least 85 influencers arrested last year for their role in these activities.