12 sent to prosecution for allegedly operating illegal gambling site
Summary
Twelve people have been referred to the prosecution in Ulsan for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling site that handled over 60 billion won in stakes. Police said five others were red-noticed globally, and all 17 suspects are in their 20s and 30s. The group is accused of earning more than 3 billion won in criminal proceeds through illicit sports betting, online casino and slot game platforms from November 2022 to July 2025. Police said they used YouTube live streams and traffic manipulation to draw users and were tracked down after an 18-month investigation.
Key Facts
- Police said the suspects handled over 60 billion won, or $43.36 million, in stakes through the site and related gambling platforms.
- The alleged operation ran between November 2022 and July 2025 in areas including Incheon and Ulsan.
- Authorities seized burner phones, dummy bank accounts and computers as evidence after launching the case in March last year.
- Police said five suspects believed to be in Thailand are being sought with an Interpol Red Notice and an arrest warrant.
A YouTube live broadcast of an illegal online gambing website to recruit members / Courtesy of Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency
Twelve people have been referred to the prosecution and five others have been red-noticed globally on suspicion of operating an illegal online gambling site, handling over 60 billion won ($43.36 million) in stakes, police said Monday.
The 17 suspects, all in their 20s and 30s, are accused of amassing more than 3 billion won in criminal proceeds by running illicit sports betting, online casino and slot game platforms between November 2022 and July 2025 in areas including Incheon, west of Seoul, and the southeastern city of Ulsan, according to Ulsan police.
They actively sought to trick users into playing by streaming YouTube live broadcasts that falsely depicted high win rates and massive payouts, the police said. To maximize visibility, they reportedly deployed self-developed traffic manipulation program and even established a dedicated promotion team to inflate view counts and real-time viewer numbers, pushing their promotional videos to the top of YouTube search and recommendation feeds.
The police said they launched an investigation in March last year based on a tip-off and tracked down the suspects' operational bases, seizing key evidence, including burner phones, dummy bank accounts and computers.
After an 18-month manhunt, authorities successfully identified and apprehended twelve suspects sequentially.
The police also obtained an arrest warrant and requested an Interpol Red Notice for the five other suspects believed to remain at large in Thailand.
"We will track down the suspects who fled overseas to the bitter end through international cooperation," a police official said.
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