Bali prosecutors seek 4–5 year prison terms for 35 Indians in online gambling case

Denpasar, Bali — Prosecutors in Bali have sought prison terms of four to five years for 35 Indian nationals accused of operating an international online gambling network from the island, according to court proceedings and local media reports.

The sentencing demands were read out at the Denpasar District Court on Monday, 14 September 2026, in a hearing for 35 defendants tried in a single case file registered under number 600/Pid.Sus/2026/PN Dps, according to coverage of the trial.

Two defendants identified as key figures in the alleged operation, Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur, were each requested to receive five years in prison. Prosecutor Ni Made N. Lumisensi said in court that both men had been proven guilty of offering or giving people the opportunity to gamble without a licence and making it their main source of income, according to Indonesian media reports.

The remaining 33 defendants were each requested to receive four-year prison terms. The court has not yet issued a verdict, and the defendants remain innocent in law until the judges deliver a decision.

Charges and legal basis

According to the prosecution’s written demand, the charges against Sharma and Gaur were brought under Article 426(1)(a) of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Law No. 1 of 2025 on Sentencing Adjustment (Penyesuaian Pidana). Local reports state that the article covers offering or providing opportunities for gambling without permission and running gambling as a business.

Media reports quoting the prosecutor say the prosecution considers the elements of the offence to have been fully met in this case. The judges will determine whether to accept that assessment when they deliver their verdict.

Roles alleged in court

In the indictment and sentencing demand, Sharma is described as the alleged operational coordinator of the network. He is said to have overseen operational needs such as laptops, mobile phones and internet connections, and to have allocated duties to the operators who handled gambling transactions.

Gaur is identified as an alleged administrator who helped promote gambling platforms through the Instagram account @ekdant_book, according to the same indictment. Earlier reports by the public broadcaster RRI and other outlets linked the broader case to online gambling sites promoted on social media and run from villas in Badung Regency.

Local media and official broadcasts have previously reported that the alleged syndicate targeted gamblers outside Indonesia and operated from two luxury villas, with 35 Indian nationals named as suspects after police cyber-patrols traced promotional accounts on Instagram.

Scale of the case and sentencing request

Reports from the Denpasar court state that all 35 defendants are Indian nationals and were brought to trial together in connection with the same alleged online gambling operation. Two prosecutors, Ni Made N. Lumisensi and Dewa Gede Anon Rai, presented the sentencing demands, according to local coverage.

The prosecution asked the court to deduct time already served in custody from any prison terms imposed, and requested that the sentences reflect the defendants’ roles in the operation, with Sharma and Gaur facing higher demands than the other 33.

In earlier statements on the investigation, police and broadcasters described the case as part of a wider effort to curb online gambling in Indonesia, particularly operations using Bali as a base for networks aimed at foreign players.

The sentencing hearing marks a shift from police action to the trial phase. Any decision on deportation or other follow-up measures will depend on the final judgment and subsequent administrative procedures.

Sources

• Detik Bali
• Suara Pecari
• ChatNews.id
• Bali Post
• IndonesiaPos.co.id
• RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia) - English service
• The Star
• iGamingToday.com