South Korean authorities have achieved a major success in combating organized crime by apprehending key figures within a significant illegal online gambling operation based in the Philippines.
The arrested individuals were responsible for generating approximately KRW5.3 trillion ($3.7 billion) in betting volume over a mere seven months, from September 2024 to March 2025. As reported by the Dong-A Ilbo, the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency announced that the arrests of 14 individuals on November 6 marked a landmark success for South Korea, constituting their first successful dismantling of a sophisticated distribution-level vendor company structure.
Those apprehended were part of an extensive criminal network involved in the creation and sale of numerous specialized illegal gambling websites. The organization amassed its substantial revenue by charging monthly fees for 266 websites and offering high-volume products, such as live casino streams and in-game currency.
The illegal operations included the direct provision of digital currency to gamblers through unlawful means, while victims were enticed by pirated live streams from prominent international gaming companies on the illicit platforms, featuring popular online casino games, like Baccarat.
Of the 14 individuals taken into custody, seven have been formally detained, including the ringleader, who is facing charges of forming a criminal organization and facilitating illegal gambling. This individual reportedly devised the plan while incarcerated, later recruiting developers and establishing a front office posing as a server rental business.
With the apprehension of essential members of this cross-border crime network, which included technical experts and those managing finance and marketing, South Korea has intensified its efforts against illegal online gambling. Authorities intend to seek international warrants or Interpol Red Notices for any major suspects who have successfully evaded capture.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com
