South Korean police have apprehended 77 suspects connected to an illegal gambling network accused of handling KRW23 trillion ($17.3 billion) in wagers through 188 websites, making it the largest operation of its kind identified in the country.
The Chungnam Provincial Police Agency announced the arrests on October 19, confirming that 21 individuals had been detained and another 56 referred to prosecutors without detention.
The organisation allegedly operated between March 2023 and July 2026, maintaining facilities in South Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Investigators estimate that its activities generated approximately KRW150 billion ($113 million) in criminal proceeds.
Among those apprehended were 25 suspected members of the supply network, 33 website operators and 19 gamblers. Police detained 18 suppliers and three operators, including an alleged ringleader in their 50s.
Gambling Network Used Automated Website Production
Investigators found that the organisation obtained casino video streams and virtual gaming credits through agreements with gaming companies operating legally overseas.
A specialised supply business distributed these resources to software developers, who created illegal gambling platforms for smaller operators.
The developers recruited programmers from major South Korean conglomerates to build a system capable of producing a functioning gambling website in approximately 10 minutes.
This technology allowed the network to establish new platforms quickly and distribute them to businesses responsible for attracting customers.
The development companies charged monthly maintenance and management fees ranging from KRW1.5 million to KRW3 million per website.
Lower-level operators also generated revenue through gaming credit sales, using adult PC gaming room owners across South Korea to recruit gamblers.
According to investigators, the casino content supply organisation accumulated approximately KRW120 billion in criminal proceeds, while the website development business earned another KRW30 billion.
Police identified a structured organisation in which senior members managed the overall operation and others handled technical services or sales.
According to SBS News, authorities subsequently applied additional charges related to forming and participating in a criminal organisation against 24 suspects associated with the development business.
Financial Records Help Police Identify Suspects
The investigation expanded in November 2025 after officers apprehended lower-level gambling operators and identified connections to the businesses supplying their websites.
Investigators examined transactions involving 795 financial accounts and reviewed communications exchanged through overseas messaging applications.
The findings showed that suspects regularly relocated their offices between South Korea and Southeast Asia, sometimes moving every one or two months.
Members also used overseas servers and bank accounts registered under other people’s names to conceal their activities. Much of the organisation’s financial activity involved cryptocurrency, while Telegram served as a communication channel.
Police subsequently disrupted the gambling websites associated with the network and blocked access to 408 related internet addresses.
Reports differ on the number of websites directly shut down. Some accounts indicate that authorities terminated operations across all 188 platforms, while another identifies 118 websites closed.
Investigators also secured court orders freezing KRW9.6 billion ($7.2 million) in suspected criminal proceeds ahead of prosecution.
Financial information collected during the operation was forwarded to the National Tax Service for examination of possible tax violations.
Authorities Seek Remaining Suspects Abroad
South Korean police are pursuing 12 additional suspects believed to have fled overseas, including two alleged leaders of the supply organisation.
Authorities are seeking Interpol Red Notices and international cooperation to locate the individuals and arrange their return.
Kim Tae-woo, head of the Cyber Investigation Unit at the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, said:
“This investigation has dismantled the topmost supply chain, effectively withering large-scale gambling sites. We will continue to carry out persistent crackdown operations focusing on the topmost supply chain moving forward.”
The investigation focused on the suppliers behind illegal gambling platforms after earlier enforcement operations revealed that new websites continued appearing despite repeated closures.
By identifying the companies responsible for distributing gaming content and developing the platforms, police targeted the infrastructure that supported the network’s operations.
The case also highlighted the involvement of technically skilled developers and overseas gaming suppliers in the creation of illegal gambling services.
Further proceedings will address the suspects already referred for prosecution, while authorities continue efforts to apprehend those remaining abroad.