Hong Kong influencers arrested for promoting World Cup betting

An actress from Hong Kong is among seven social media influencers arrested for promoting betting websites linked to World Cup betting.

Hong Kong.- Hong Kong police have arrested seven influencers including a well-known actress for allegedly promoting overseas websites taking bets on the World Cup. According to The South China Morning Post, the actress Bui Yee-lam, 28, is accused of using her social media accounts to promote sports betting websites.

The other influencers, all women, are accused of similar offences. officers are looking into whether the suspects were contracted by the same people. They were arrested between Monday and Sunday on suspicion of promoting gambling, an offence punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of HK$5m (US$640,000) under Hong Kong’s Gambling Ordinance.

A police source said one of the suspects had more than 100,000 followers, while others had tens of thousands of followers. The sites they’re accused of promoting accepted bets on World Cup soccer matches and horse racing. Police said at least one site was based in the Philippines. Police reportedly seized mobile phones, a computer table and a laptop.

Chief Inspector Chan Ka-ying of the New Territories South regional crime unit said: “We believe that because of their online influence, criminals offered monetary rewards to lure them into promoting illegal gambling websites and attracting punters through their social media platforms.”

In a separate anti-gambling operation last Wednesday (November 23), officers arrested a man and seized HK$1.5m in football betting records, HK$28,000 in cash, as well as electronic devices at an industrial unit in Tsuen Wan.

See also: Hong Kong: 7 arrested as police target illegal gambling site