Indonesia's ASPI warns of QRIS blocks over online gambling
PPATK recorded QRIS use in about 78.5 per cent of online gambling deposit transactions in 2025, rising to 88.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
Merchants found to be using QRIS for online gambling payments will lose access to the service and have their accounts blocked, according to Santoso, chairman of Indonesia's payment systems association, ASPI. He outlined the warning in Jakarta on 14 October 2026.
Speaking after the opening of ISEF 2026 at JICC, Santoso said ASPI would coordinate action where evidence of misuse was available, revoke the merchant's QRIS access and disable the payment facility. He said QRIS was intended to support economic activity and customer transactions, not gambling.
Santoso also said he would urge ASPI members to avoid prohibited activities, citing PPATK's position on gambling and other uses that fall outside the intended purpose of payment services.
PPATK, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, reported changes in money-laundering methods used by online gambling operators. In 2025, QRIS accounted for about 78.5 per cent of gambling deposit transactions: 305.35 million transactions worth Rp19.35 trillion.
Bank transfers and electronic wallets accounted for 83.79 million transactions, or about 21.5 per cent, worth Rp16.67 trillion. In the first quarter of 2026, the share of deposit transactions made through QRIS reached 88.6 per cent, while bank transfers accounted for 11.4 per cent.
