South Korea Police Detain 74 in Case Linked to 17 Illegal Gambling Sites and Won 491.3 Billion in Deposits

Police on Jeju Island have detained 74 people in a case involving 17 illegal gambling sites that allegedly processed about won 491.3 billion in deposits. For high-risk payment teams, the useful part is not the headline number alone but the mechanics: nominee accounts, repeated office moves across multiple jurisdictions, and alleged laundering through account chains.

1. According to investigators, the group operated from February 2021 to January 2026 and ran 17 sites in total. To avoid scrutiny, it rotated through 26 offices in Daegu, on Jeju, and in Southeast Asia.
2. The sites had about 17,000 users, while the total volume of deposits reached about won 491.3 billion, or about $350 million. Police said 221 shell accounts were used to receive the money.
3. Among the 74 detained people, 12 — including the alleged organizer — are treated as key members of the scheme. One other suspect is hiding in South Korea, while police have requested Interpol Red Notices for three suspects who left the country and have cancelled their passports.
4. Players were reportedly brought in through “picters,” meaning tipsters posting betting predictions in online communities. The organizer allegedly paid separate bonuses to members who referred new users and covered overseas corporate trips as part of the incentive structure.
5. Police also froze suspected criminal proceeds worth about won 164 billion, or about $117 million, including bank accounts, cash, cars, and real estate. The income data of all suspects was also handed over to the National Tax Service.