Police in South Korea have arrested 13 people and shut down an illegal online gambling operation reportedly worth US$2.8bn. Law enforcement detained another 37 suspects, including the alleged mastermind.

The operation’s servers were in other nations like Thailand and the Philippines, with the ringleaders running the scheme through offices in Gyeonggi, Bucheon, and Incheon.

changing the voices and faces of celebrities to make it look like they were advocating for the gambling site

Suspects used deepfake videos to promote their gambling platform, changing the voices and faces of celebrities to make it look like they were advocating for the gambling site. They also gained exposure through YouTube streams.

A complex payments network aimed to throw the authorities off their scent. Investigators believe the ringleaders profited about ?300bn (US$214m); the head honcho bought a sports car, a luxury watch, and an apartment with the funds. Law enforcement seized assets worth about ?10bn (US$7m), including cash, luxury goods, and real estate.

A Philippines-based website operator faces extradition to South Korea after police arrested him in July in collaboration with Interpol. Finally, 107 users of the illegal gambling site, some of whom are underage, face gambling-related charges.

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FBI raid questioned

The CEO of prediction site Polymarket, Shayne Coplan, has kicked up a storm after accusing the outgoing Biden administration of setting the FBI on his firm out of political revenge.

shocking predawn raid” on Coplan’s Manhattan apartment

According to news reports, the FBI executed a “shocking predawn raid” on Coplan’s Manhattan apartment Wednesday based on an illegal betting suspicions. The probe is over Polymarket, which has been linked to returning ex-President Donald Trump and his allies, allegedly accepting bets from US users.?

Coplan took to X on Thursday to echo allegations the raid was “a last-ditch effort” by the outgoing regime to seek revenge on firms associated with Trump. 

Polymarket has known Republican backers bankrolling it, including Trump supporter Peter Thiel, who raised $70m for Coplan’s firm earlier this year.

According to the New York Times, federal officers on Wednesday seized Coplan’s “electronic devices, including a phone.”

Parting shots and threats

With Elon Musk appointed to a prominent government role for Trump’s second term, it seems fellow technocrats like Coplan are emboldened by the change in regime and not afraid of rubbing salt in Democrat wounds. 

In the same X post on Thursday condemning the raid, Coplan advised the outgoing party to reflect on and conclude “a more pro-business, pro-startup approach” might have changed the outcome of the election. 

“Indeed” responded Elon Musk in approval. 

Of growing concern, however, to under-fire bodies like the FBI, was the response of another billionaire tech mogul, Joe Lonsdale. Lonsdale responded to Coglan’s post on X by writing that while there were great agents in the FBI, a large percent of the federal bureau “must be officially reorganized and GUTTED, political actors removed.”?

he hopes Coglan will get an immediate pardon if the feds give him “any trouble”

According to CNN, multiple officials currently serving as mid-level to senior intelligence agents are concerned about their jobs.?As for Lonsdale, he hopes Coglan will get an immediate pardon if the feds give him “any trouble” over his France-registered firm.?

Polymarket angle

Polymarket raked in a reported $3.7bn in bets on the US election. The platform is, however, banned in the US after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission fined Polymarket $1.4m in 2022 to settle allegations it offered illegal trading. The Times cited an ex-Polymarket employee as stating it was an “open secret” US users could still bet on the platform via a virtual private network connection.

The FBI raid comes just a week after Coplan applauded Trump’s victory and stated he plans bringing Polymarket back for US users. The prediction site also drew fire after a mystery French trader made $85m in profits on Trump bets, with reports France’s gambling regulator is considering banning Coplan’s firm.

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A man in Nigeria has been arrested after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in a bid to escape his gambling debts.

Enitan Awoyemi, 41, of Irolo-Remo in Ogun State, had racked up debts of approximately 1 million Nigerian naira ($595) from his participation in a lottery game. Awoyemi had reportedly enjoyed previous success in the lottery, winning enough to buy a Toyota Corolla, but had a severe downturn in his luck.

Awoyemi stated that the fictional kidnappers had demanded a 5-million-naira ($2,976) ransom

After concocting the scheme, Awoyemi contacted his wife, claiming to have been abducted. Additionally, Awoyemi stated that the fictional kidnappers had demanded a 5-million-naira ($2,976) Naira ransom. His wife then contacted the local Amotekun Corps authorities, who began an investigation.

The investigation was then joined by local communities in the area and the Vigilantes Group of Nigeria. Eventually, the Amotekun Corps tracked him to Ijagba, and eventually to Ota. 

Yesterday, the officers captured him at the Irolu okada park while on patrol. Suspecting a suicide attempt after smelling insecticide, he was quickly transferred to the Rufina Private Hospital in Iperu.

In a statement, Brigadier General Alade Adedigba, who headed the investigation, said:  “Once Enitan Awoyemi is medically stable, he will be handed over to the police in Ilisan for further investigation and legal proceedings.”

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Celebrities arrested

Turkish police have detained 17 individuals and issued warrants for four more on suspicion of promoting illegal gambling.

those mentioned include social media influencers, actors, soccer players, and other noted celebrities

The ?stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention orders for all of the individuals named. Those mentioned include social media influencers, actors, soccer players, and other noted celebrities who have been accused of using social media to advertising gambling platforms which are illegal in Turkey.

Police are continuing with efforts to detain the remaining four suspects, although the issue is likely to be complicated by the fact that some of them are abroad.

Among the names detained were singer Serdar Orta?, television host and actor Mehmet Ali Erbil, former footballer Batuhan Karadeniz, and social media influencers Muzaffer Zorbey Erko?lar, Sefa Caner Sar??am and ?brahim Y?lmaz.?

Suspects deny responsibility

The individuals have been released on house arrest, with several releasing statements denying their culpability. Speaking to reporters outside court, Orta? stated that he was unaware that an invitation to Malta was linked to illegal gambling.

“They invited me for a restaurant opening. They set me up and recorded the video on a cell phone. They even asked me for a score prediction, but I don’t even follow sports that way. I am deeply sorry and regretful.”

I have no financial or moral need for such activities.”

Erbil, who also attended the event in Malta, also denied any responsibility, saying: “If I were involved in promotion, I could have named the companies openly. I have no financial or moral need for such activities.”

Turkish crackdown

Turkey has notoriously strict gambling laws. Most forms of gambling are illegal, with casinos having been outlawed and betting restricted to a few outlets such as lotteries. All online gambling is prohibited, with the exception of the state-owned IDDAA, which operates a monopoly in the country.

Unlike most other countries, Turkish authorities also prosecute individual gamblers on illegal betting sites, in addition to the operators themselves. This spate of arrests is one of the largest in targeting individuals solely for promoting gambling.

teams found to be in breach of the advertising laws will not only face fines, but even points deductions

Elsewhere, Turkish soccer clubs have also faced the prospect of severe punishment for breaching the country’s gambling laws. Teams found to be in breach of the advertising laws will not only face fines, but even points deductions for repeat offenders.

Earlier this year, the issue came to a head when giant Galatasaray was forced to suspend a $14m shirt sponsorship after its fierce rival Fenerbah?e filed complaints against it ahead of a derby match.

Despite the recent crackdown, however, illegal gambling continues to flourish in Turkey. The unregulated betting market in the country is estimated to be worth a staggering 100 billion lira ($2.9bn).

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A blackjack dealer is in hot water after getting caught dealing fake hands. Pennsylvania State Police outlined how Jamie L. Smith dealt 192 fake hands, which paid out $21,869 to several players between October 26 and November 2 this year at the Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.

Gaming enforcement agents and police officers viewed surveillance footage of the 33-year-old overpaying winnings and not taking stakes from lost hands.

arrested the dealer when she turned up for a shift on November 8

The behavior escalated from seven fake hands on the first day to 71 hands by November 2, with her shifts totaling 31 hours during the period in question. Police arrested the dealer when she turned up for work on November 8.

The blackjack dealer now faces charges of conspiracy, knowingly manipulating a game of chance, and theft by unlawful taking.

A preliminary hearing is set for November 20, and Smith is out on an unsecured bond. It is currently unclear if Smith was conspiring with anyone else to dupe the casino out of money.

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Poker pro gets scammed

Ethan Yau, otherwise known as Rampage, is an American poker pro with total live earnings of nearly $3m. He’s not just interested in poker though, the gambler likes to have a flutter on sports betting too, but his recent decision to use an unofficial bookmaker has supposedly cost him more than $100,000.

naming Neema Khazaie of Sherman Oaks, California as the perpetrator

He took to X on Tuesday this week to share details of the alleged scam, naming Neema Khazaie of Sherman Oaks, California as the perpetrator.

Yau explained that he lost more than $600,000 sports betting over the course of the year, making most of his bets through Khazaie, an agent for a bookmaker. When he did ultimately secure some profit, mainly through a bet on Donald Trump winning the Presidential election, he encountered difficulty trying to withdraw any funds.

According to Rampage, the bookie now owes him $138,969.89 in total, $80,000 of which is his deposit.

Text messages revealed

Despite losing a significant amount over the course of the year, Rampage claimed that the bookmaker immediately limited his account once he had a slight upswing. “Not only are they not paying my account balance but they’re claiming “sharp” action AFTER I’M DOWN 600K and GO ON A 30K UPSWING,” he wrote.

He then provided evidence of his interactions with Khazaie in the form of text messages in which the agent claimed that he would receive some of his money soon, cash that has yet to materialize:

As seen in the messages, Rampage requests 50K at first from the agent before eventually asking for just 10K. Ultimately, the agent says that he will deliver 30K – 40K in the next few days, but he has supposedly still not received any money. The poker pro asked for anyone who “knows this family” to “help progress this situation along.”

Support and criticism

Rampage’s posts have received both support and criticism.

In the latter column, X user Tafo said that “the minor benefits in whatever discount you’re getting yourself into can’t possibly be worth the risk.” Meanwhile, Ken chastised Rampage for not using a trustworthy “agent/advisor/lawyer,” adding that “scams are easily avoided” when the right actions are taken.

Why tf would you post with a bookie lol?”

Many urged Rampage to use online sportsbooks rather than betting through unofficial bookmakers. “Bruh why aren’t you using an online sportsbook?” Tam Thai asked. Another user said: “Why tf would you post with a bookie lol? That’s insane. The network you have, your track record of paying debts, and you end up with the only bookie in America who makes you post.”

In the more supportive category, Jason Edwards said: “Wow, sorry brother. Keep your head up, hopefully some good luck/ karma on its way…”

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100 men swindled

A 27-year-old woman ran a prolific romance scam to trick around 100 men out of 100 million yen ($656,000), according to Japanese police.

After swindling her victims for cash, Ida spent most of the money gambling in online casinos.

Shizuku Ida, 27, reportedly used dating apps and social media to target men, building up a relationship of trust before exploiting them for financial gain. After swindling her victims for cash, Ida spent most of the money gambling in online casinos.

Eventually, after cheating a man from Yamagata Prefecture out of 346,000 yen ($2,270), the scam came to light, culminating in her arrest.

Web of deceit

According to the Tokyo Reporter, Ida confessed the scam to police shortly after being arrested, telling officers: “I lied to make the other person trust me and used the money at internet casinos and to play with hosts.”

Ida, who was unemployed, told her victims that she worked in a hostess bar, an establishment in Japan catering to young men who can pay for conversation with women.

after striking up a conversation, she claimed to have suffered multiple hardships

Idea targeted the men through dating apps and social media. After striking up a conversation, she claimed to have suffered multiple hardships, including having money stolen, being forced to pay off her parents’ debts, and needing money for childcare, even telling one victim she wanted to die.

“I work as a hostess, and the money I get paid is put into my locker,” she told one man. “As well, I put my child in a childcare center affiliated with the club, so I have to pay the manager for it. But when I went to give it to him, I looked in the locker and it was all gone.

“Until last month, I was paying off the debts my parents left behind, so I couldn’t save any money. That’s why I really don’t have any money.”

A relative of Ida’s went on to reveal that she had left her child with her parents before severing all ties with her family.

Romance scams increasing

Ida never met any of the men in person, conversing only through social media and through occasional telephone conversations.

Japanese authorities have warned citizens of the increased prevalence of online romance scams, which have exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, there were 45 such crimes reported in 2018, but this increased to a staggering 1,017 in 2023.

middle-aged men who are comfortable financially are the most vulnerable targets

Kimiaki Nishida, a social psychology expoert at Rissho University, stated that middle-aged men who are comfortable financially are the most vulnerable targets.

“It is easier to tell lies online than when meeting in person,” said Nishida. “Users of these apps and sites need to be aware that there are not only people looking for serious relationships who are using them.”

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South Korea’s National Police Agency has caught 4,715 individuals aged under 19 breaking the country’s gambling laws.?

strategic crackdown on the online vertical

According to a South Korea business daily, the police caught thousands of the youngsters illegally gambling. They caught the offenders during a strategic crackdown on the online vertical over a period from September 2023 to October 2024.

Mail Business on Sunday revealed that the total amount the young market wagered hit ?3.7bn ($2.64m), with individuals averaging ?780,000 ($559) in bets over the crackdown’s time frame. 

Reports state a boy, 16, played baccarat online with as much as ?190m ($136,160).?

The most common age group for breaking South Korea’s gambling laws was 17-year-olds, with 1,763 individuals making up 38% of those caught by police. Next were 16-year-olds (26%), while 18-year-olds caught stands at 19%, with 206 14-year-olds contributing 4% to the total number of lawbreakers.????

Online casino at 82% was the most popular vertical among the young perpetrators, followed by sports betting at 11%. According to media reports, police have introduced 1,733 of those arrested to “professional counseling agencies.” 

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Fraudster spared jail

A New Zealand woman stole over NZ$360,941 ($215,953) from her employer to fund her gambling addiction will be spared jail.

Robertson has repaid the money in full, as well as interest and legal fees after the civil case.

The Hutt Valley District Court heard Sally Anne Robertson, 59, stole the funds which were taken from a civil engineering company she worked for. Robertson has repaid the money in full, as well as interest and legal fees after the civil case.

After hearing that Robertson was under stress and was seeking treatment for her gambling addiction, Judge Tania Warburton opted against a prison sentence for Robertson, sentencing her instead of five months of community detention for the thefts.

Deception revealed

Robertson siphoned the money from SBA Civil Ltd, the company she worked for over 12 months, at which she held the sole administrative role and was one of only two people at the entire organization who had access to the business’ bank account.

Robertson changed the payment details on invoices billed to suppliers 37 times so that incoming payments were diverted to her own accounts. The money was then spent to fund her gambling addiction, the court heard.

She was caught when one supplier questioned one of the payments, which caused the alarm to be raised over the thefts.

Mitigating circumstances

Robertson pleaded guilty to a charge of theft by a person in a special relationship, breaking down in tears with her husband after she was sentenced.

Her lawyer, James Mahuta-Coyle, stated that Robertson was under severe family pressure, first having to care for her elderly mother, and then for her father and sister.

“She found herself, unfortunately, in the grip of addiction that led to the offending,” Mahuta-Coyle said, for which she has sought and is currently receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, in a victim statement, the main shareholder of the engineering company from which the funds were stolen declared that the theft had caused he and his own family considerable stress.

“Your offending was bad, but I want to stress that you are not a bad person,” Judge Warburton stated during sentencing. As part of her community detention, Robertson can continue to live at home and go to work, but must remain indoors every night between 7pm and 7am.

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Criminal complaints

The Portuguese Online Gambling and Betting Association (APAJO) has filed criminal complaints against influencers and operators as it seeks to clamp down on illegal gambling.

APAJO made criminal complaints against influencers Bruno Savate, Cláudia Nayara, GODMOTA, Numeiro, and ritinhayoutuber over promoting unlicensed gambling sites, which are illegal in Portugal.

APAJO stated it would continue to file reports as activities were uncovered.

In addition, operators BC.Game, Betify, Monro, Stake, Starda, Vem Bet, Weiss, and Wolfi were all also reported for criminal offenses. APAJO stated it would continue to file reports as activities were uncovered.

Study released

The comments follow the release of APAJO’s annual gambling study in Portugal, which found growing problems with players gambling on unlicensed sites. According to the report, 41% of gamblers in Portugal used unregulated sites when gambling, and less than half of the players who bet on unlicensed sites are unaware that they are using an illegal operator. 

“It is, therefore, very critical that the Portuguese media are clear and accurate with the information provided about the sector, in order to prevent thousands of people from being continually exposed to the risks of betting on unlicensed sites,” said Ricardo Domingues, president of the APAJO board of directors.

young people are more likely to bet on unregulated sites compared to the general population

Additional figures published in the report showed that young people are more likely to bet on unregulated sites compared to the general population, with 52.1% of players aged between 18 and 34 choosing to do so, which has perhaps inspired the move to file criminal complaints against influencers.

Cost to revenue

Portuguese gambling law makes it a crime to operate any gambling site without a license. The law also penalizes those who promote unlicensed sites, including on social media. As a result, there is a real prosecution risk for all of the influencers named by APAJO.

the names mentioned come from a wide variety of backgrounds

This isn’t the first time that APAJO has pointed its finger at influencers, and the names mentioned come from a wide variety of backgrounds, rather than all being gambling streamers.

With the report from APAJO estimating that €100m ($108m) per year is lost to tax revenue from unlicensed betting sites and countries having limited ability to tackle operators based offshore, the legal case could quickly ramp up against the influencers.

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A Brazilian international soccer player is at the center of a match-fixing investigation after he allegedly intentionally received two yellow cards during a game in November 2023. Bruno Henrique earned two caps for the national team during his career, and the 33-year-old now plays for Flamengo in his home country.

opened betting accounts on game day and bet on the Belo Horizonte native to receive a yellow card

Brazilian Federal Police investigators believe he intentionally received the yellow cards so others, including some family members, could win their wagers. They reportedly opened betting accounts on game day and bet on the Belo Horizonte native to receive a yellow card.

Law enforcement searched a dozen premises on Tuesday during the probe, including Flamengo’s training center and the player’s home.

While Henrique faces up to six years in prison if found guilty, the club is standing by him, issuing a statement of support for the winger and saying it will fully cooperate with the investigation.

Henrique will continue training with his club and is expected to play on Wednesday against Cruzeiro and in the team’s Copa do Brasil clash on Sunday against Atlético Mineiro.

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Police are searching for a suspect who stole $60,000 in cash from an Oklahoma casino guest in September.

Dvoderick Robinson allegedly broke into a vehicle in the Choctaw Casino parking lot, with surveillance footage clearly showing the 45-year-old putting a package into his pocket after smashing the vehicle’s window. He came back again wearing gloves and retrieved another item.

a plastic bag containing $60,000 in cash

The victim reported the incident to security staff at the casino, explaining that his wallet which contained up to $300 in cash and a bank card was gone, as well as a plastic bag containing $60,000 in cash.

Law enforcement wants to charge Robinson with grand larceny and burglary when they catch him.

This is not the only serious crime to happen recently in the casino’s parking lot. A man died in June following a violent altercation in which he suffered stab wounds.

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