A court in Bali, Indonesia, has convicted 35 Indian nationals and sentenced them to jail for their involvement in online gambling.

An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced several Indian nationals to jail for their involvement in an online gambling operation in the Indonesian tourist destination of Bali. The court sentenced most of the accused to two years in prison, while two were sentenced to two and a half years in prison. All of the accused will be deported from Indonesia upon completion of their sentences and are also barred from entering the country in the future.

Gambling is illegal in Muslim-majority Indonesia, and action can be taken against those who operate gambling, those who invest in gambling, those who promote gambling-related content online, and even those who gamble, AFP reported.

39 Indians arrested from two different places in Bali

In February, police raided two villas in Bali and arrested 39 Indian nationals. Charges were filed against 35 of them. According to police, all of them had arrived in Indonesia on tourist visas. Investigations revealed that they had been involved in promoting an online gambling website and managing transactions since late last year. During a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Putu Gde Novyartha, who presided over the case, found the accused guilty.

Most of the culprits were sentenced to two years in prison.

The court sentenced most of the accused to two years in prison, while two were sentenced to two and a half years. The judge ordered that all the accused be deported from Indonesia upon completion of their sentences. Furthermore, they will not be permitted to re-enter the territory of the Republic of Indonesia after completing their sentences. According to police, this online gambling business was generating revenues of up to 8 billion Indonesian rupiah per month, equivalent to approximately US$450,000.

Online gambling in Indonesia is worth over 280 lakh crore rupees.

According to official data, total online gambling transactions in Indonesia last year exceeded 280 trillion Indonesian rupiah. Of the country's population of approximately 287 million, more than 12 million people are estimated to be involved in this illegal activity, most of whom are gamblers. Curbing the growing online gambling industry remains a major challenge for Indonesian authorities. The government and police are taking action against those involved in such activities.

Indonesia to review visa rules for foreign nationals.

Following a spate of arrests involving foreigners in illegal gambling and online fraud cases, Indonesian authorities said in May they would review their visa-free entry policy for citizens of Southeast Asian countries. According to investigators, several individuals linked to an alleged illegal gambling hub in Jakarta arrived in Indonesia using visa exemptions or applied for visas on arrival. Following these cases, the government is considering tightening entry and visa rules for foreign nationals.