Yogyakarta Police Deny Protecting Online Gambling Operators

KOMPAS.com - Police in Indonesia’s Yogyakarta Special Region have denied allegations that they are protecting online gambling operators, following the arrest of five people accused of exploiting weaknesses in gambling websites to earn tens of millions of rupiah.

The arrests sparked public speculation that the suspects were detained not for gambling, but for causing financial losses to gambling syndicates, a claim police have firmly rejected.

Police: No “Special Favors” for Operators

Adjunct Senior Commissioner (AKBP) Saprodin, head of the special crimes unit at Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda DIY), said the arrests were not carried out at the request of online gambling bosses.

He insisted the operation was based solely on public reports and police investigations.

“This was the result of our investigation, following reports from concerned citizens,” Saprodin told reporters at police headquarters on Thursday, August 7.

“There is no such thing as cooperation or special requests from gambling operators,” he said.

Urging the Public Not to Jump to Conclusions

Saprodin dismissed speculation that the arrests were motivated by the suspects’ actions harming gambling bosses.

He stressed that the five were arrested simply for violating the law by participating in online gambling.

“Where does that assumption come from? That’s just prejudice,” he said.

“Our handling of cyber gambling cases is purely law enforcement.”

Tip-Off Came From Local Residents

AKBP Slamet Riyanto, head of the cybercrime subunit, said the arrests followed professional procedures after receiving tips from local residents.

“The initial information came from locals who saw and heard suspicious activity,” Slamet said, as quoted by local outlet *Tribun Jogja*.

“We developed the information in cooperation with our intelligence unit, and followed up professionally.”

He also emphasized that police are not shielding online gambling operators, and that anyone involved - from players to organizers - will be prosecuted.

How the Group Exploited Gambling Sites

The five suspects were arrested in a rented house in Banguntapan, Bantul, just outside Yogyakarta city. According to police, the group had been exploiting promotional systems on gambling websites for about a year.