Young children lost hundreds of dollars’ worth of currency at the illegal gambling website, with culprits now arrested
South Korean authorities have busted an illegal gambling ring that targeted school children and adults, and that generated a total of $18.2 million in placed wagers at the very least.
Police said that they have arrested multiple individuals who were able to entangle at least 100 middle and high school students as gamblers.
Gambling Operation Targeted Young Children
A total of four suspects, including the group’s 27-year-old supposed leader, were arrested as per a statement released by the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office. The operation took place online, although the individuals have been charged with “opening a gaming venue.”
“Gambling can have serious social impacts, not just for adults but especially for teenagers who may develop addiction. Even simple betting can be subject to legal punishment, so people must avoid illegal gambling websites entirely,” a police officer said, commenting on the case.
The suspects are said to have operated the website out of an apartment building in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, between February 2023 and December 2023. One suspect was accused of having played the role of a recruiter and operated nationwide, trying to bring new customers, targeting teens between 13 and 18, to the website as gamblers.
He would then take 20% of the losses these people generated on slot games. Over 2,000 people are known to have used the website in general, and amongst them, 100 school children.
The youngest user was a first-year middle school student who is said to have lost around 1.2 million won, or around $877.
The culprits will now face serious consequences proportionate to their crimes. If found guilty on the charges, they may spend up to five years in prison as well as face up to 30 million won in fines (approximately $21,830). Another charge – participating in gambling – could also lead to a fine of around 10 million won or $7,000.
South Korea Has a Track Record of Cracking Down on Illegal Gambling
There are already well-documented cases of people involved in running illegal gambling operations who have received prison sentences.
The gang used the proceeds of its criminal operation to purchase luxury goods, such as watches, as well as foreign-made high-end cars. Similar criminal operations have sprouted all over South Korea.
Previously, a resident was indicted on charges of having created and marketed gambling websites that he later sold to interested parties.
