Gov’t to toughen penalties for illegal sports betting, match fixing

The government is set to introduce tougher penalties for illegal sports gambling and match-fixing attempts, in light of a massive match-rigging scandal that rocked the country's top football league last year.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, severe penalties on sports betting will take effect sometime this month, immediately after President Lee Myung-bak promulgates the revision to the sports promotion law.

Under the revision, those who take part in match-fixing schemes or operate illegal betting Web sites will be sentenced to up to seven years in jail or be fined a maximum 70 million won ($62,570). Currently, these offenses warrant a maximum fine of 20 million won or a seven-year prison term.

According to the ministry, the revised law will not just penalize operators of illegal Web sites, but also people who designed the sites and who provide game-related information to site operators.

In a new clause added as part of the revision, those who make bets on illegal Web sites will be punished, too. They may be jailed for up to five years or fined a maximum 50 million won.

Ministry officials said the toughened penalties show the government's determination to root out illegal sports gambling in the country.

They added whistle-blowers of illegal sports gambling will be rewarded for their tips.

Illegal sports betting came under the spotlight last year, as several former and active players in the K-League, the first-division football league, were implicated in a league-wide match-fixing scandal.

Players received prison terms and fines, and have been banned for life from all football-related activities. It was the first match-fixing scandal to hit a Korean pro sports league. (Yonhap)