4 arrested in South Korea for alleged illegal online gambling

Those arrested are accused of operating and promoting illegal online gambling.

South Korea.- Four people have been arrested in Suwon, South Korea, for allegedly operating illegal online betting. Those arrested are accused of operating an online gambling site which streamed live baccarat and slot machine games from overseas casinos and encouraged users to place bets. They’re said to have operated from a rented apartment in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi between February and December 2023.

Police said they took around KRW24.9bn won (US$18.2m) in bets and that among 2,000 people who used the site, over 100 were teenagers.

Under Article 247 of Korea’s Criminal Act, running a gambling venue can lead to up to five years in prison or a fine of up to KRW30m (US$21,830). Under Article 246, users could face a fine of up to KRW10m (US$7,000).

South Korea offers rewards for reporting illegal sports betting sites

Sports Toto Korea has launched the Illegal Sports Toto Reporting Center to encourage people to report illegal sports gambling. It will offer rewards to those who provide information.

Reports can be made through the Illegal Sports Toto Reporting Center’s website or by calling 1899-1119. To file an online report, people must verify their identity. After verification, they can submit the address of the gambling site, along with any access details such as ID, password, or referral name, and upload supporting evidence. A reward of KRW15,000 will be issued for each accepted report, up to a maximum of KRW1.5m per person per month.

Bank account numbers linked to illegal gambling sites can also be submitted. For each verified account, a reward of KRW100,000 will be granted, with no limit.

See also: Man arrested in Japan for alleged illegal online gambling