Indonesia removes 600,000 social aid names in gambling sweep
Nearly a month into a sweeping review of welfare beneficiaries, Indonesia’s government has uncovered extensive misuse of social assistance funds, with hundreds of thousands of recipients found linked to online gambling. The Ministry of Social Affairs, working with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), has now removed more than 600,000 names from its social aid list after confirming their involvement in online gambling, marking the largest purge to date.
The removals follow extensive data matching by the PPATK, which in July exposed 571,410 bank accounts of aid recipients linked to gambling transactions worth Rp957 billion. Cross-checking national ID numbers against millions of suspected gambling accounts uncovered widespread misuse, including cases linked to corruption and terrorism financing.
Largest removal to date
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf confirmed on Saturday (9 August) that the latest deletions came after PPATK verified bank accounts used by aid recipients.
“We requested verification from PPATK regarding the bank accounts of aid recipients. Out of the 9 million online gambling profiles, 600,000 were listed as social aid recipients,” Saifullah said.
Another 375,000 names remain under review, with checks on employment status, financial records, and declared identities. Some recipients claimed to be doctors, employees of state-owned enterprises (BUMN), or even members of regional legislative councils.
“Many claimed to be doctors or BUMN employees when opening their bank accounts. We are verifying these claims, and if they are found to be inaccurate, we will remove them from the list,” he added.
Ongoing crackdown
The latest action builds on an earlier delisting of 228,000 recipients just days ago, also for gambling links or failing eligibility criteria. Saifullah said the campaign is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s order to ensure aid reaches only those in genuine need.
“We want social assistance to reach the truly deserving. If a recipient is found to be ineligible during verification, especially those linked to online gambling, we will replace them with someone more qualified,” he said earlier last week.
To strengthen the system, Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 4 of 2025 assigned the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) to coordinate a national data overhaul. “With this instruction, we are consolidating and continuously updating the data. One method involves checking the recipients’ account profiles, including their savings balances,” Saifullah explained.
Where the abuse is happening
PPATK’s findings for the first half of 2025 show West Java at the top of the list, with 49,431 recipients involved in gambling transactions worth Rp199 billion. Central Java followed with 18,363 recipients (Rp83 billion), East Java with 9,771 (Rp53 billion), and Jakarta with 7,717 (Rp36 billion).
At the municipal level, Bogor Regency recorded the highest figures, 5,497 recipients and Rp22 billion in transactions, followed by Surabaya and Central Jakarta.
Nationwide, 132,557 aid recipients were linked to gambling in the first half of 2025, with total transactions reaching Rp542.5 billion. The Dana digital wallet was the most frequently used platform, followed by BCA, BRI, BNI, and Mandiri.
Saifullah said, “This indicates a trend we must address seriously. Our goal is to ensure that social assistance reaches those who truly need it and is not diverted to gambling.”
Part of a wider financial crime web
PPATK reports show that from 2017 to June 2025, online gambling platforms processed Rp976.8 trillion through 709 million transactions. This year alone, the first six months saw Rp99.68 trillion flow through such platforms.
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has ordered banks to freeze tens of thousands of gambling-linked accounts, while also scrutinising dormant accounts to prevent them from being used for illegal transactions.
Public oversight urged
Saifullah called on citizens to play a role in safeguarding aid distribution by reporting irregularities via the Cek Bansos app.
“We welcome reports submitted via the app, as long as they include complete supporting data so we can follow up. Let’s ensure that this assistance reaches the 20 million people who truly deserve it,” he concluded.
Indonesia’s social assistance programme is a vital lifeline for millions. Recent actions highlight the ongoing efforts to ensure aid reaches only those truly in need.
