Pirate gang
Police in Korea have busted a crime network suspected of operating an illegal horse betting site that generated ₩170bn ($121.m) while using pirated live streaming of races, and the help of a YouTube influencer.
Site operators were among the 29 people the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency arrested on Thursday and charged with violating Korean Race Authority-linked laws on gambling.
illegally streamed real-time KRA-sanctioned horse races
According to the SMPA, the gang operated from December 2022 to November 2024 during which it illegally streamed real-time KRA-sanctioned horse races.
To recruit bettors, the SMPA stated, the group used text ads and referrals from a horse racing YouTube influencer boasting around 10,000 followers.
Complex ties
Another YouTuber was also implicated, but for gambling rather than taking part in the organzation. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the SMPA also charged 140 of the illegal site’s 17,795 members with gambling violations.
All of those facing gambling charges bet over ₩5m ($3,542) each, including another YouTuber accused of placing ₩214m ($151,622) across 116 bets.
The gang also allegedly partnered with another crime organization to take care of gambling fund deposits and withdrawals, “paying commissions of 0.3 to 1 percent.”
regularly changed burner phones
To avoid law enforcement, the suspects regularly changed burner phones and opened “front accounts” under false names to handle payments. The group, however, eventually drew the attention of police when an intelligence report on the gang’s activities led to the joint SMPA-KRA investigation starting in June.
Globetrotting enterprise
Local news reports claim the gang launched the illegal site in Korea, but two years ago allegedly relocated to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to “avoid domestic crackdowns” where they continued their horse racing enterprise.
A police spokesperson warned after the arrests that: “All online horse racing websites other than the official KRA service are illegal, and users may be prosecuted for gambling.” No doubt they should have stuck to playing legal real money slots.
