South Korean Gang Recruited Teenagers for $18 Million Gambling Scheme

Police Arrest Four in Online Gambling Crackdown

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency arrested four suspects, including a 27-year-old gang member from Suwon. Officers accused the group of running an unauthorized gambling site between February and December 2023. The suspects rented an apartment in Hwaseong, where they streamed live baccarat and slot games from overseas casinos. They promoted the site through mass text messages and personal networks, pushing users to place bets.

Among roughly 2,000 users, more than 100 were minors aged 13 to 18. The youngest gambler, a first-year middle school student, wagered 1.2 million won and lost most of it. Police say the main recruiter brought in teenagers through acquaintances. He took 20 percent of their losses and called it a “dividend.”

Players placed bets ranging from 50,000 won to 5 million won. Investigators emphasized the risks of exposing minors to gambling, noting the danger of addiction and long-term harm.

Operation Funded Lavish Purchases

The site handled 24.9 billion won in wagers. To avoid detection, the operator rotated the web address three times and used more than 40 burner bank accounts. The gang used profits to buy luxury watches and imported cars. Police filed for the seizure of 1.1 billion won in suspected criminal funds. They are now investigating people who provided the financial accounts.

South Korea’s Criminal Act imposes up to five years in prison or a 30 million won fine for opening a gambling venue. Even simple participation in gambling carries a fine of up to 10 million won. The investigation continues as police work to uncover the full network behind the operation.