South Korean Police Shutter $36M Illegal Betting Site in Cambodia

South Korean police say they have taken down an illegal betting site with revenues of $36 million that operated from Cambodia.

The South Korean media outlet Newsis reported that the gambling site had a value of 44 billion won. Officers said they have arrested seven individuals they suspect of operating the platform.

The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency’s Cybercrime Investigation Unit announced on September 10 that it had charged all seven with violating the National Sports Promotion Act.

South Korean Police Conduct Cambodia Raids

Police said the individuals worked in an office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which they set up in February 2022. The operators then allegedly allowed approximately 10,000 South Korean citizens to place bets on the site, in addition to 1,114 international bettors.

The site hosted real-time card games such as baccarat and also ran illegal sports books, police said. The operators allegedly utilized Google ads and services from an advertising agency to promote the site.

Officers said they had been monitoring the site since July last year. They said they have also identified 174 of the site’s patrons, with five taken into police custody.

Police said they seized 270 million won ($194,570) in cash during a raid on the office. They have also frozen 120 million won ($86,475) in various bank accounts.

Officers said they had secured arrest warrants and Interpol red notices before the arrests. The country’s foreign ministry also cancelled several of the suspects’ passports.

By working with the Cambodian Embassy in Seoul and Interpol officials, Daegu police said they learned in advance that four suspects were planning to travel to South Korea.

All four were arrested upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, police said.

Steep Rise in South Korean Gambling Sites Based in SE Asia

None of the suspects had Cambodian work permits, police explained. Instead, they entered the country on tourist visas.

Officers said the suspects managed deposits and withdrawals on the platform, site membership, and human resources.

A Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency official said: “We plan to expand our investigation to track down potential site partners. We are also working with a wide range of groups, including local communities, schools, and families. We are striving to prevent gambling-related damages and foster a healthy society.”

South Korean police have warned of a sharp rise in online gambling sites operated by citizens based overseas.

Officers claim that many individuals are relocating to Southeast Asian nations in the hope of evading detection from South Korean police.

Earlier this month, National Police Agency officials, working in conjunction with Interpol and officers in the Philippines, repatriated 49 South Korean citizens from Manila. The group is thought to have operated several illegal casinos and sports betting sites.

The NPA said that one of the sites was linked to an organized crime network and launched in 2018. Police think that the site generated a total of 5.3 trillion won (over $3.8 billion) in revenue.