South Korea arrests over 2,300 in cyber gambling crackdown
South Korean police have arrested 2,319 people and confiscated 107.2 billion Korean won (US$78 million) in criminal proceeds during a seven-month crackdown on illegal cyber gambling that dismantled several large-scale overseas betting operations.
The interim results of the ongoing 2026 Intensive Cyber Gambling Crackdown were announced by the National Office of Investigation under the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA). The operation began on 1 November last year and is scheduled to continue until 31 October this year. So far, it has led to investigations in 1,746 cases, with 2,319 arrests, including 154 suspects who have been detained.
Police said the crackdown focused on identifying and arresting operators of major illegal gambling websites handling bets ranging from hundreds of billions of won to more than 1 trillion won. Many of the suspected ringleaders were based overseas or frequently travelled between South Korea and neighbouring countries to evade law enforcement.
Major overseas gambling operations dismantled
Among the largest cases uncovered during the operation was an investigation by the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which dismantled a criminal organisation operating illegal gambling websites worth approximately 1.31 trillion Korean won from a base in Vietnam between 2020 and January this year.
Authorities arrested 63 people, including the site’s operators, while five suspects were detained. Police also completed pre-indictment preservation for forfeiture of 38.7 billion Korean won (US$28.2 million) in criminal proceeds.
In another investigation, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Police Agency arrested 17 people linked to an illegal gambling organisation that operated websites worth 339.5 billion Korean won through offices in Vietnam and South Korea. Nine suspects were detained, while authorities froze 13.2 billion Korean won (US$9.6 million) in criminal proceeds.
Both investigations involved gambling websites operated from Vietnam while targeting South Korean users.
Asset seizures more than double from last year
Police said they confiscated or secured forfeiture and collection measures covering 107.2 billion Korean won (US$78 million) in criminal proceeds during the seven-month campaign.
The figure represents a 2.3-fold increase from the 46.5 billion Korean won recovered during the same period last year, an increase of 60.7 billion Korean won.
Authorities attributed the higher recovery to strengthened pre-indictment seizure and asset recovery measures, including tracking foreign vehicles, deposit claims and other property linked to criminal proceeds.
Police said cutting off criminal funding sources remains a key objective of the campaign alongside dismantling illegal gambling organisations.
Cross-border cooperation targets overseas fugitives
The investigation also focused on suspects who had fled abroad. Working with law enforcement agencies in countries including the Philippines and Cambodia, South Korean authorities secured the custody of 75 fugitives linked to cyber gambling operations.
Among them, 15 key suspects who had operated illegal gambling websites from bases in the Philippines and Cambodia were extradited to South Korea and detained.
A source from the National Police Agency said the force would continue pursuing the extradition of gambling site operators hiding overseas through its Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force during the second half of the year.
“We will continue to push for the extradition of gambling site operators who have fled overseas through the Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force,” the source said.
Police also announced plans to broaden investigations beyond gambling operators after finding that several dismantled gambling websites had been built using similar technological platforms.
Following analysis of seized administrator pages and suspect statements, investigators concluded that many illegal gambling websites relied on the same production methods. Authorities now intend to intensify investigations into specialised organisations suspected of developing and supplying illegal gambling websites.
Park Woo-hyun, a cyber investigation review officer at the Korean National Police Agency, said cyber gambling had evolved into a cross-border criminal enterprise driven by substantial illegal profits.
“Cyber gambling is a cross-border crime that evolves across borders based on enormous criminal proceeds,” Park said.
“Police will actively arrest gambling website ringleaders and suppliers, while tracking criminal proceeds to the end to bring them to justice under the law.”
Younger adults account for nearly half of suspects
Police data showed that suspects in their 30s accounted for the largest share of those arrested, with 613 individuals representing 24.7 per cent of the total. They were followed by people in their 20s, who accounted for 586 suspects or 23.6 per cent, and those in their 40s, with 549 suspects or 22.1 per cent.
Authorities recorded 319 suspects in their 50s, representing 12.9 per cent of the total, while 256 teenagers accounted for 10.3 per cent. Those aged 60 and above represented the smallest group, with 158 suspects or 6.4 per cent.
Combined, people in their 20s and 30s accounted for 48.3 per cent of all suspects, meaning almost half of those arrested during the crackdown fell within these two age groups.
Police also identified differences in gambling preferences across age groups. Those in their 20s and 30s were more likely to participate in Sports Toto, while suspects aged 50 and above had a relatively higher involvement in horse racing, cycling races and motorboat racing.
Authorities said the lower number of teenage suspects reflected their approach towards juveniles involved in small-scale gambling or those with no previous criminal record. Rather than pursuing criminal charges immediately, police said they focus on providing guidance and preventing reoffending by referring eligible juveniles to review committees and rehabilitation programmes.
Police also plan to strengthen links with professional counselling organisations at the point of arrest as part of efforts to build a repeat offence prevention system that combines enforcement with treatment.
Illegal gambling persists despite crackdowns
The latest operation comes as South Korean authorities continue to tackle illegal gambling activities both online and through physical venues.
Recent investigations found that some holdem pubs in Seoul were continuing to facilitate illegal chip-to-cash exchanges despite ongoing police crackdowns. While customers legally receive chips after paying an entrance fee, exchanging winnings for cash remains illegal under the Tourism Promotion Act because casino-style cash conversion is only permitted at government-approved venues.
Police found that some holdem pubs promoted their venues through Telegram and online communities while explaining chip exchange procedures. Some establishments also reportedly operated on a membership basis and used CCTV at entrances to watch for police raids.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, South Korea had 1,393 holdem pubs nationwide in 2023. Industry sources estimate that hundreds of additional venues have opened each year since then.
Police have acknowledged that proving illegal gambling at such venues remains difficult because investigators must secure evidence of chip-to-cash exchanges, which are typically conducted in secret.
Wider campaign against cyber gambling
The latest arrests also follow broader efforts by South Korean authorities to tackle online gambling, particularly among young people. Earlier this month, the Korean National Police Agency reported that 294 cases of youth cyber gambling had been voluntarily disclosed during the first month of the country’s Youth Cyber Gambling Voluntary Reporting System, which was launched nationwide on 18 May.
Of those reports, 244 were submitted by teenagers themselves, while 50 came from parents or guardians. Police said the programme encourages young people involved in cyber gambling to seek treatment and support rather than conceal their activities.
The data showed that participants had engaged in cyber gambling for an average of 12 months, with average deposits of around KRW3 million (US$2,200). Authorities also reported cases in which gambling addiction had contributed to violence, theft, illegal lending and other criminal activity.
The voluntary reporting programme, jointly introduced by six government agencies, will remain in operation until 31 August 2026. Police said young people who voluntarily report their gambling activities may receive maximum leniency after authorities consider factors including the amount gambled, participation in treatment programmes and willingness to rehabilitate.
Industry demand shows signs of decline
The intensified enforcement campaign coincides with lower demand across South Korea’s online gambling market. Earlier analysis by SiGMA News using Blask Index data showed demand for iGaming in South Korea declined by approximately 37 per cent between October 2025 and April 2026, falling from 1.12 million to around 703,700 during a period of intensified enforcement against offshore operators, payment channels and illegal gambling websites.
South Korea continues to maintain some of Asia’s strictest gambling laws. Residents are generally prohibited from participating in online casino gambling, while legal gambling opportunities remain limited to government-approved lotteries, Sports Toto betting and Kangwon Land casino.
The National Police Agency said it will continue pursuing the extradition of overseas gambling site operators through its Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force during the second half of the year, while expanding investigations into organisations responsible for developing and supplying illegal gambling platforms. The latest operation indicates that authorities are continuing to combine cross-border enforcement, asset recovery and technology-focused investigations as part of their campaign against illegal cyber gambling.
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