Indonesia takes quite a hard line when it comes to illegal things. Given that Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world, and 85% of its population follow Islam, it is no surprise to see casino operators eager to cater to players in the country and the authorities keen to stamp down on gambling. Illegal under Koranic law, gambling is an absolute no-no.
Despite this, online gambling in Indonesia is still possible if you are prepared to take a risk and know where to look. We wouldn’t presume to tell you that gambling online is worth it in Indonesia (not with some of the punishments that could potentially await), but if you decide that you want to bet online, we’ll introduce you to the necessary top casinos that can facilitate that. You can find many of the better, recommended ones below.
In a word – no. Indonesia is one of the strictest countries when it comes to shutting the door to gambling. In Aceh, the punishment for betting can be a public caning. In other parts of the country, betting could see you face imprisonment of between three and five years, while in some parts of Indonesia, a blind eye “may” be turned, although this is unlikely. Is online casino gaming legal in Indonesia, you ask? What do you think? No, there are no legal gambling sites in Indonesia.
Despite this seemingly challenging situation and the lack of any legit Indonesian online casinos, there are still more than a few betting sites open to you. These are almost all based offshore, and you may want to use a VPN to protect your location, so you don’t get caught betting. Let us explain the gambling options you do have (illegal, though, they may be) when you reside in Indonesia. Let’s start with online casinos:
There are no legit Indonesian online casinos. All sites are considered illegal, so you must opt to play at offshore casinos. Given that Indonesia could (but this is unlikely) track your activity, we would suggest using a VPN to protect your identity and location. Many offshore casinos accept players from Indonesia, but because some operators know how limited their options are and how desperate they may be, some provide spurious services. Only play at bona fide, licensed, and regulated casinos that offer a wealth of responsible gambling tools.
Online poker is most certainly illegal in Indonesia. In the few instances where there have been games going in in the back of properties, the authorities have cracked down hard. It would be no different for online poker rooms. Therefore, if you wish to bet on online poker, you will need to venture to an offshore and international casino once more.
Sports betting is immensely popular in Indonesia, and yet, like all other forms of gambling, it is illegal. Fortunately, there are far more sports betting sites out there than casinos that accept Indonesian players, and many Indonesians don’t feel as though betting on horses and football really breaks the “rules” regarding gambling. However, as touched on, you’ll be punished if caught, so using a VPN and heading to an offshore sportsbook is recommended.
Some Muslim countries have differentiated between lotteries and other gambling games, allowing state-run lottos to take place. Admittedly, there aren’t many of them, and Indonesia is not amongst them – at least not anymore. The Indonesian government used to run a state lotto that was played by tens of millions each week. However, lotteries were banned on a local level and then nationally. To bet on lottos now, you need to head to an offshore ticket agent or lottery betting site, and again, we’d recommend a VPN.
Some countries equate bingo and lottery games with being one and the same. Indonesia does not. Once more, you’ll need to head to an offshore site to bet on bingo games.
Has gambling always been illegal in Indonesia? Find out as we chart the history of betting in the country below:
While it is possible to find safe online casinos in Indonesia, you’ll need to jump through a few hoops first, and this is not without risks. Firstly, if you are caught gambling online, you are likely to be punished, and some of the punishments (depending on where you reside) are quite severe. For this reason, you should use a VPN if you want to remain safe. On top of that, you should also consider another risk.
As many operators know that Indonesians have no choice but to join their sites, some have opted for lax regulation, poor RTP rates and some aren’t even licensed. This presents another risk to Indonesian bettors. Fortunately, if you stick to our recommended sportsbooks, casinos, and betting sites, this is a risk you don’t have to take.
As touched on, there are quite a few hurdles to jump if you want to stay safe when betting in the country. Fortunately, we represent many of the most trusted online casinos for Indonesian players. If you want to get started at a casino that is guaranteed to be safe, secure, regulated, fair and offer you a decent chance of winning, then check out our online gambling reviews for Indonesia-based players. You can also find out what it takes to make our list below…
Any top Indonesian casino will naturally offer its players bonuses and promotions. They should be worth a decent chunk of change but should also come with fair terms and conditions, specifically wagering requirements, game eligibility and minimum deposit limits.
If you’re going to be taking a risk to bet online in Indonesia, the least you can do is play at a site that carries a wealth of games from multiple software providers. We’d want to see at least ten providers delivering several hundred games and nothing less.
The reputation of your casino is important. There are lots of scam Asian casino sites out there that intend to take Indonesian players for a ride. You can’t allow that to happen to you, so check the casino’s license, RTP rates, regulation, and fair play record to see if its reputation holds up.
While most casinos offer customer support in English, you may feel as though you need it in Indonesian. Only a handful of the most reputable casinos provide this service (through live chat and e-mail), so be sure that yours does if this is important to you.
Indonesians can use most of the same payment methods as everyone else. However, since you want to keep your identity a secret, it may be worth seeking out an option that offers enough anonymity to protect you. Our Indonesian betting sites offer these options.
What is it that you want to play at online casinos that accept Indonesian players? Personally, we want to see new online casino games in Indonesia-friendly sites. However, we also want to see the best online casino games that Indonesia has to offer. For instance:
Let us look at some of these games more closely:
Online slots in Indonesia are not the most popular types of games you can play. However, slot machines in Indonesia should still be numerous, covering classic slots and fruit machines, progressive jackpot games and more.
Blackjack and card games are more popular with Indonesians than slots. If you want to play blackjack online with real money in Indonesia, be sure that a good mix of variants is offered, including live dealer and RNG games.
Roulette games such as European roulette and more advantageous to play than American roulette. The best online roulette gambling sites in Indonesia will be sure to carry the sorts of games that give you a fair shot of winning, alongside multiple variants, such as live dealer roulette.
Playing live casino games online in Indonesia is a popular option. Games such as blackjack and roulette are the most popular, although table poker titles, baccarat, Dragon Tiger, Sic Bo and even craps to get a look in.
Of course, there are other games supported at Indonesian casinos, too. Expect to see scratch cards, instant win games, keno, bingo, video poker, craps and more.
As Indonesian casinos are all based offshore, you can find the same types of software providers kitting them out with games as you can elsewhere. This means that a typical Microgaming casino in Indonesia or the best NetEnt casinos in Indonesia are options. Other software providers known to dish out games to Indonesians include:
Indonesians can choose from various options, both internationally acceptable methods and national ones. While Indonesian online casino gaming with PayPal may not be an option, playing at an online casino in Indonesia with VISA debit and credit cards is.
Other international options include Skrill, Neteller, and Maestro. Local Indonesian options include GoPay, DANA, and LinkAja.
Whatever deposit method you choose, it is important to remember the following:
Cryptocurrency gameplay is often possible at Indonesian casinos, with Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin two of the more popular options. Reasons to bet with Bitcoin at Indonesian betting sites include:
It isn’t the country’s gambling laws that determine whether mobile casino gameplay in Indonesia is possible. Whether or not you can download and play via online gambling apps in Indonesia depends on the site you choose. Most have an instant play (browser-based) design, though, ensuring that iOS and Android users can play with the need for apps and software.
Any good offshore casino worth its salt will carry the best bonus deals for online casino players in Indonesia. These should be claimable in Indonesian rupiah, and while players in Indonesia may need online casino bonus codes to trigger the offers, they should still come with fair terms and conditions. We want to see low wagering requirements, low minimum deposit limits, high win caps (if any at all), and the ability to use those bonuses on an array of games. Lastly, we expect to see maximum wager limits set relatively high, allowing you to each bonus as you see fit.
New players who are just signing up for the first time may well wish to look at no deposit casino bonuses in Indonesia. While not as common as they once were, these new Indonesian player no deposit casino offers are designed to let you play for free without risking your own money and can still be found at some of our recommended sites. They may offer free spins or cash bonuses and could potentially see you win real cash.
Of course, when you make your first deposit, you want a bonus from casinos in Indonesia that is worth your time. A typical match deposit bonus should suffice nicely, assuming the Indonesian online casino’s deal comes with low deposit terms. The basic idea here is that you will pocket a large sum of cash when you deposit, and you can use that to play all sorts of games at the casino.
A free spin bonus can prove mightily handy. Often provided at an online casino as a free signup bonus with no deposit required of Indonesian players, it may also be gifted as a loyalty offer. Ultimately, however, you claim the bonus doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you can use those spins on a decent array of slots to have a chance of winning real money.
Reload casino bonuses work in much the same way as conventional welcome (deposit) bonuses. Also referred to as match deposit bonuses, they can see you pocket yet another stack of cash when you deposit into your account. In some cases, the more you deposit, the better your bonus could end up being, although this will vary from betting site to site, as will the timescale of when these offers are provided.
If you still have questions about Indonesian betting sites, allow us to help you with the following FAQ guide: