DENPASAR — Bali police have dismantled an international online gambling network operating from luxury villas on the Indonesian resort island, arresting 35 Indian nationals accused of running illegal betting platforms with monthly revenues of up to 8 billion rupiah ($510,000), authorities said on Saturday.

Indonesia’s Bali provincial cybercrime unit under Polda Bali conducted coordinated raids at two locations — one in the tourist hub of Canggu, Badung regency, and another in Munggu/Cempaga, Tabanan regency — detaining a total of 39 people.

Following questioning, 35 suspects were formally charged and transferred to police custody, officials said.

Posing as Tourists

Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya said the suspects deliberately chose Bali as their base of operations to blend in with the large number of Indian tourists visiting the island.

“They acted as administrators and telemarketers, promoting gambling services through social media, managing online betting portals, handling player registrations, processing deposits and facilitating withdrawals,” Daniel told a press briefing.

Investigators said the syndicate had been operating in Tabanan since October 2025, generating between 7 and 8 billion rupiah per month from its two locations.

Police seized 45 mobile phones, 15 laptops, three desktop computers and two internet routers believed to have been used to support the illegal gambling operation.

Legal Charges

The suspects face multiple charges under Indonesia’s revised electronic information law and the country’s new criminal code, carrying a maximum sentence of nine years in prison and fines of up to 200 million rupiah.