Police Take Down Illegal Gambling Sites With $1.3 Million in Circulation

Police have arrested 5 alleged administrators of an online gambling network with more than $1.3 million dollars in circulation in the northern province of Chiang Mai, yesterday provincial police reported.

Officers from Provincial Police Region 5 raided a condominium unit in Chiang Mait and a residence in Saraphi district on Friday after receiving reports of unlawful operations related to the Bioclub online gaming website at the locations.

Police, armed with a search warrant, arrested three people at the condominium: Tiwanont, 26, Thanakorn, 23, and Natcha, 22. They admitted to being website administrators and informed police that they also ran the Prettygaming168 and GK168 gambling portals.

The raid uncovered four laptops, three mobile phones, and other stuff. The three suspects told police that the three websites processed approximately 50 million baht per month and cited another person, Piyapong, as their boss.

Mr Piyapong, 29, was discovered at the Saraphi home with a lady known as Achirayan, 28, who is reported to have been a recruiter. The second site also seized two laptop computers, seven mobile phones, and two bank passbooks and ATM cards.

Mr Piyapong and Ms Achirayan admitted to being administrators of four gambling websites: Bioclub, Prettygaming168, GK168, and Ramen88. All five accused were held pending further judicial processes.

Police inspector busted in gambling den raid

Meanwhile, a police raid on a gambling house in Phuket’s central Muang area on Friday resulted in the arrest of thirty-two gamblers, with rumors indicating that a police inspector was among those nabbed.

Around 1 a.m., a team of officers from Muang Police Station raided the gambling den on the second floor of a commercial building on Chanacharoen Road in Tambon Talad Yai. When the law enforcement officers arrived, the people tried to flee but were unsuccessful.

During the raid, the team apprehended 32 gamblers, both male and female, and recovered gambling equipment and 1,700 baht in cash. Everyone was transported to Muang Station for legal action.

Pol Col Prathueng Phonmana, chief of Muang police, said the raid was part of an investigation into illicit gambling activities held there.

According to a source, one of the gamblers was a Provincial Police Region 8 inspector. A fact-finding investigation was underway to determine the officer’s role.

Gambling in Thailand

Thailand’s Gambling Act of 1935, which forbids land-based casinos, primarily prohibits gambling in the country. However, some exceptions exist, such as horse racing and the national lottery. Online gambling remains absolutely outlawed, despite a growing demand for digital gaming systems.

Thailand has strong gambling laws that restrict most forms of betting. While the Thai government runs the lottery and authorizes horse racing betting, all other forms of gambling are outlawed.

Illegal gambling networks present substantial concerns in Thailand, contributing to social problems and criminal activity. The subterranean nature of illegal gaming businesses promotes money laundering, corruption, and exploitation.

Furthermore, the absence of regulatory monitoring in illicit gaming enterprises raises questions regarding consumer protection and fair play. Despite this, illegal gaming persists in many forms across Thailand, posing hurdles for law enforcement.

The argument over allowing casinos in Thailand has gathered traction in recent years. Advocates say that establishing casinos will increase revenue and job prospects in the country.

However, conservative societal values and a strong Buddhist influence present considerable barriers to any future improvements in the gambling sector.

Thailand continues to tightly restrict online gambling, with the government taking stringent steps to combat unlawful betting activities.

The gaming business in Thailand is evolving, with conversations about prospective regulation reforms and the legalization of certain types of gambling.

Thailand has recently been the focus of heated debates over the legalization of casinos and the country’s general gambling scene. Let’s look at the numerous viewpoints that contribute to the ongoing arguments.