Bali Prosecutors Seek Prison Terms for 35 Indian Nationals Over Global Online Gambling Ring
Bali's High Prosecutor's Office has sought five-year prison sentences for two Indian nationals, Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur, accused of masterminding an international online gambling network operated from Bali. Prosecutors also sought four-year sentences for 33 other Indian defendants in the same case and requested deportation for all of them after serving their sentences.
At a hearing before the Denpasar District Court, prosecutor Ni Made N. Lumisensi of the Bali High Prosecutor's Office sought five-year prison sentences for Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur, described as the masterminds behind an international online gambling network. Both defendants were charged with offering unlicensed gambling opportunities and participating in a gambling enterprise as a livelihood.
"We ask the panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court to sentence defendants Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur to five years in prison, minus time already served in detention," the prosecutor stated in court. Their actions were found to violate Article 426 paragraph (1) letter a of Indonesia's 2023 Criminal Code (KUHP), in conjunction with the 2025 Law on Penalty Adjustment.
For 33 other Indian nationals charged in the same case, prosecutors sought four-year prison sentences each, minus time served in detention. Prosecutors also asked the judges to order deportation for all defendants, all of whom are foreign nationals, from Indonesian territory once their sentences are completed, in accordance with immigration regulations.
The case originally involved 35 Indian nationals suspected of involvement in an international online gambling network, accused of operating multiple gambling sites from two locations in Bali. According to the indictment, Sharma served as operational coordinator, managing everything from procuring laptops, mobile phones, and internet connections to assigning tasks to operators. Gaur allegedly acted as an administrator and promoted the gambling sites through the Instagram account @ekdant_book.
Prosecutors stated the network operated at least seven gambling websites: rambetexchange.com, CBA, LOIN, zetto.io, club4.com, winmoney365exch.com, and ekdant.casino.
Things to Consider
This case primarily involves a gambling network organized among foreign nationals and does not directly endanger ordinary tourists, but it is a reminder that operating, participating in, or advertising online gambling (judol) is treated as a serious criminal offense in Indonesia. Avoid engaging with gambling site promotions seen on social media or messaging apps. If offered suspicious 'high-paying jobs' involving managing laptops or phones during your stay, decline, as this may indicate involvement in fraud or illegal gambling operations, and consult your embassy or local immigration office if concerned.
Source: ANTARA News Bali