Thailand blocks more than 717,000 gambling URLs
Police now intend to focus on football betting ahead of the World Cup.
Thailand.- The Royal Thai Police say they blocked 717,425 URLs linked to gambling between October 1, 2025 and May 20, 2026. According to Trairong Piwpan, deputy director of the Technology Crime Suppression Centre and spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, the blocks followed an order for a nationwide crackdown on all forms of online gambling.
Trairong said authorities are paying particular attention to football betting ahead of the World Cup. He said police are using artificial intelligence to detect gambling-related content more quickly and accurately, allowing faster action against websites and social media accounts promoting betting. Police have identified 309 online gambling websites as priority targets for enforcement actions during May and June. Arrest warrants have been issued, and some suspects have already been detained, while investigations continue.
According to the police spokesman, illegal gambling operators have increasingly shifted from traditional mule accounts to more sophisticated financial channels, including corporate accounts, digital payment services, cross-border intermediaries and cryptocurrencies.
