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Risky promotions · TRUST & SAFETY

Promotions creators and brands must refuse

Short answer

Refuse any promotion of online gambling. Since 2 January 2026, Article 426 of the new Criminal Code (KUHP) penalises anyone who offers the public a chance to gamble without a permit, and in 2026 a court sentenced an influencer who was paid to promote online gambling. Also refuse unlicensed loans and investments, products without a BPOM licence, pyramid schemes, and giveaways or social-aid links you cannot verify. Before accepting an endorsement, check licences at the official source and use the brand check on this page.

CariTalent editorial team · Sources checked · For: Creators, KOLs, talent and brands · General guidance, not legal advice

Why must online gambling promotions be refused?

The new Criminal Code (Law 1/2023) has applied since 2 January 2026. Article 426(1)(b) sets up to 9 years in prison or a fine of up to category VI (Rp2 billion) for anyone who, without a permit, offers or gives the public a chance to gamble. The code’s participation and aiding provisions can also reach people who help.

Enforcement is real. In 2026 the Surabaya District Court sentenced an influencer who was paid to promote online gambling to 1 year 6 months under Article 426. Before 2026, police pursued similar influencers under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law. Komdigi has also reported that gambling spam heavily targets regional influencer accounts.

  • Common signs: words such as slot, gacor, maxwin, toto, “alternative link”, or requests to put a link in your bio.
  • Refuse even if it is called a game, entertainment app or “earning app”. Indonesia’s advertising code also bans gambling ads in any form.
  • Report online-gambling spam comments and accounts to the platform and to aduankonten.id.

What about loans, investments, crypto and gold?

As of 31 July 2026, OJK listed 94 licensed online lenders. OJK Regulation 6/2026 on people who share financial-services information has applied since 4 June 2026 and covers financial influencers. Among other things:

  • You may not promise certain profits, market unlicensed products or work with unlicensed financial businesses.
  • You must disclose any economic interest and your identity and relationship with the company in marketing content.
  • Marketing must be done in partnership with a licensed financial institution, and crypto assets may only be marketed through the company’s official channels.
  • Crypto supervision moved to OJK on 10 January 2025; only OJK-licensed traders may offer crypto trading.
  • Gold savings and custody are bullion business that only licensed financial institutions may run (OJK Regulation 17/2024). “Gold deposit” offers with big bonuses from anyone else are a red flag.
Important

In October 2026 media reported an alleged gold and silver investment fraud of about Rp25 billion promoted partly through paid endorsements by public figures; the case is still under investigation. An endorsement fee does not remove legal or reputational risk. Satgas PASTI lists signs of illegal investment such as high, certain and quick returns, bonuses for recruiting members, and paid tasks that require a deposit.

How do you check cosmetics, food, supplements and medicines?

  • Check every product on Cek BPOM. Cosmetic notification numbers start with NA, NB, NC, ND or NE followed by 11 digits; processed food carries MD (domestic) or ML (imported); P-IRT home-industry permits are issued by local governments.
  • BPOM Regulation 18/2024: only notified cosmetics may be promoted, benefit claims must be provable, and testimonials may speak only for your own experience.
  • BPOM Regulation 7/2026: individuals may not promote or advertise medicines, except ad performers formally appointed by a pharmaceutical company.
  • Refuse claims of cures, guaranteed results or “safe for everyone”. Ask HALOBPOM on 1-500-533 if unsure.

What are pyramid schemes, money games and paid tasks?

Trade Law 7/2014 Article 9 bans pyramid schemes, where income comes mainly from new members’ joining fees rather than product sales. Article 105 now sets up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to category VI (Rp2 billion). Satgas PASTI also warns about “paid task” schemes such as watching ads, writing reviews or clicking links that require a deposit.

How do you avoid fake giveaways and social-aid links?

  • Never share social-aid or prize registration links you cannot verify. Kemensos warns people not to give data to WhatsApp numbers claiming to register aid; official information is at cekbansos.kemensos.go.id and the 171 call centre.
  • Legitimate giveaways never ask winners to pay a fee, share an OTP or enter bank details on unfamiliar links.
  • If you run a giveaway for a brand, state the organiser, prize, period, how winners are chosen and the official contact in the post.
  • Check doubtful claims on CekFakta before sharing them.

How do you check a brand before accepting an endorsement?

  1. Step 1: Company identity

    Ask for the legal entity name, official website, address and office contact. Match them with the brand’s official accounts.

  2. Step 2: Product licence

    Check the BPOM number for cosmetics, food, supplements and medicines; check the OJK licence for loans, investments and crypto.

  3. Step 3: Claims you may make

    Ask for a written list of claims with evidence. Refuse claims of guaranteed results or fixed returns.

  4. Step 4: Contract and payment

    Use a written contract and make sure payment comes from the company’s own account. Never pay first to get work.

  5. Step 5: Ad disclosure

    Indonesia’s advertising code requires ads on personal social media to be clearly disclosed. Use the paid-partnership feature and labels such as #sponsor or “Ad”.

Check an endorsement offer before you accept

Tick the facts about the offer you received. Answers are not sent or stored: everything runs in your browser.

What you know about this offer

Choose the product type and tick what you know.

Frequently asked questions

Can an influencer be prosecuted for promoting online gambling?

Yes. Since 2 January 2026, Criminal Code Article 426 penalises offering the public a chance to gamble without a permit, and in 2026 the Surabaya District Court sentenced an influencer paid to promote online gambling to 1 year 6 months in prison.

How do I check whether a lender is legal?

Match the company and app names against OJK’s list of licensed lenders, or ask OJK on 157 or WhatsApp 081-157-157-157. Report illegal entities at sipasti.ojk.go.id.

Can I endorse crypto or trading?

Only for OJK-licensed providers and through an official partnership. OJK Regulation 6/2026 says crypto assets may only be marketed through the company’s official channels, and influencers must disclose their relationship and economic interest.

How do I check a product’s BPOM licence?

Enter the registration number or product name at cekbpom.pom.go.id and match the product, brand and manufacturer with the packaging. If it is not found, the product is not registered and its safety is not assured.

What are the signs of an investment scam?

According to Satgas PASTI: high, certain and quick returns, bonuses for recruiting members, paid tasks requiring a deposit, impersonating licensed firms, and unlicensed crypto.

I already promoted something that turned out to be illegal. What now?

Stop the promotion and take the content down, keep the contract, messages and payment records, and report it to OJK, the Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre or aduankonten.id as appropriate. For legal risk, get advice from a lawyer.

Official sources we checked

Rules and platform policies change. Check these sources before deciding, and ask a lawyer to review high-value deals. We review OJK and BPOM licence lists and platform policies quarterly.

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