An Indonesian district court has sentenced 20-year-old Indah Siska Sari to two and a half years in prison for promoting an illegal online gambling platform via her Instagram account. The verdict, issued on April 23, 2025, by the Medan District Court in North Sumatra, found her guilty under Article 45(3) of the 2024 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law.

University student imprisoned in Medan over online gambling endorsement:

Presiding over the case, Judge Vera Yetti Magdalena declared, “The court hereby sentences the defendant, Indah Siska Sari, to two years and six months of imprisonment.” In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rp50 million (approximately $3,100), with a further two-month sentence to be served if she fails to pay.

The student, a resident of Tanjung Pura in Langkat Regency, was prosecuted for repeatedly promoting the gambling site Hopeng through her personal Instagram posts between August and early October 2024. Indonesian authorities received a public tip on October 24, 2024, alleging suspicious gambling-related content on her social media account. Acting on the lead, officers located and arrested Indah at Dazat Café on Jalan Alfalah in East Medan.

Upon arrest, authorities examined her mobile phone and Instagram archive, discovering posts endorsing the gambling site. Prosecutor Vina Monica confirmed during the trial that Indah admitted to using her account to promote Hopeng. “The defendant admitted that the account was used to promote or endorse the online gambling site Hopeng,” said Vina.

According to the indictment, Indah received Rp300,000 (around $18) every 15 days for her efforts, ultimately earning Rp850,000 (about $50.59) before her arrest. She later explained that all of the money had been spent on university-related expenses.

Prosecutors originally sought a three-year prison term and a fine of Rp15 million, alongside a potential four-month substitute sentence. However, the court handed down a lighter sentence due to several mitigating factors.

Court balances government policy with defendant’s circumstances:

Judge Vera emphasized that Indah’s actions were inconsistent with national efforts to curb illegal gambling. “An aggravating factor is that the defendant’s actions do not support the government’s program to combat gambling-related crimes,” she stated, as Tempo.co reports. However, she also recognized the student’s cooperation and remorse, noting, “As a mitigating factor, the defendant has admitted to and expressed remorse for her actions, and she has no prior criminal record.”

Both Indah and the Medan District Prosecutor’s Office were granted one week to consider appealing the verdict.

The case against Indah coincides with broader regional efforts to tackle illegal gambling and associated crimes. In March 2025, Indonesian authorities extradited 29 nationals from the Philippines for their alleged roles in an illegal gambling ring. The group is under investigation for potential connections to scams and organized crime, including human trafficking.