TLDR
- South Korean police broke up an illegal online gambling network that allegedly took $17.2 billion in wagers across 188 casino websites.
- Former corporate software developers allegedly built a program that could create a working casino site in about 10 minutes.
- Police apprehended 77 people and detained 21 of them following an investigation that began in November 2025.
- Investigators traced 795 bank accounts and froze about $7.2 million in suspected criminal proceeds.
- Police are seeking Interpol red notices for 12 suspects believed to have fled overseas.
South Korean police have broken up an illegal online gambling network that allegedly handled $17.2 billion in wagers. The operation ran 188 casino websites over more than three years.
The Chungnam Provincial Police Agency announced the case on Monday, October 19. Officers apprehended 77 people, and 21 of them have been detained.
The suspects allegedly built and ran the sites between March 2023 and July 2026. They worked from offices in South Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Casino Websites Built in 10 Minutes
Police said the network hired software developers who once worked for major South Korean companies. These developers created an in-house program that could produce a working casino website in about 10 minutes.
The group signed deals with legitimate overseas gaming companies. It used those deals to get casino video feeds and virtual gaming credits.
The developers then packaged the feeds and credits into ready-made online casinos. They supplied these sites to smaller operators for a monthly maintenance fee of 3 million won, or about $2,250, per site.
The operators found customers through owners of adult-only internet cafés across South Korea. They made money by selling gambling credits to players.
Police estimate that gamblers bet 23 trillion won, about $17.2 billion, across the sites. This figure is the total amount wagered, not the group’s profit.
Investigators put criminal proceeds for the two main supply groups at 150 billion won, about $112 million. The casino feed suppliers allegedly took 120 billion won, while the website developers made about 30 billion won.
795 Bank Accounts Traced
The investigation started in November 2025. Police first arrested lower-level site operators and then worked their way up the supply chain.
Officers examined transactions linked to 795 financial accounts. They also reviewed messages sent through overseas messaging services.
According to police, the suspects often moved their offices between South Korea and Southeast Asia. They also used foreign servers to make themselves harder to track.
Of the 77 people apprehended, 25 were tied to the supply operation and 33 to running gambling sites. The remaining 19 were gamblers.
Authorities have shut down all 188 websites and blocked 408 related web addresses. They also secured a pre-indictment freeze on 9.6 billion won, about $7.2 million, in suspected criminal proceeds.
Police have filed organized crime charges against 24 people connected to the website development business. They are also seeking Interpol red notices for 12 suspects believed to have fled overseas.
