UN report finds illegal online gambling a key revenue source for organised crime in Southeast Asia
The UNODC says illegal gambling is fuelling cyber fraud and money laundering in the region.
Austria.- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned that Illegal online gambling has become a “core financial pillar” for transnational organised crime in Southeast Asia. Its 2026 Transnational Organised Crime Threat Assessment for Southeast Asia warns that criminal networks are increasingly using gambling platforms to fund a range of illicit activities.
The report says that illegal gambling is no longer an isolated issue but part of an interconnected criminal ecosystem that includes cyber fraud, money laundering, human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It says operators are increasingly targeting younger users through social media, influencer marketing and gamified mobile interfaces. According to the UNODC, these tactics make illegal platforms more engaging and accessible while exposing young people to gambling-related harm.
The agency also warns that illegal gambling payment systems have become embedded in the formal financial systems of several Southeast Asian economies, posing risks to financial integrity.
The report concludes that isolated national measures have had limited impact because criminal groups quickly adapt by shifting operations across borders. As a result, the UNODC calls for greater regional cooperation, stronger oversight of financial infrastructure and digital marketing channels and enhanced efforts to trace criminal proceeds, including those moved through cryptocurrencies.
