Police in Jeju, South Korea, have dismantled an illegal online gambling ring that was targeting high school students. They arrested 21 people, including the suspected ringleader, for using a villa and two internet cafes to run three sites that handled a total of KRW9.2bn (US$6.4m) in bets.
extortionate loans to local high school students, with interest rates as high as 650%
They also allegedly offered extortionate loans to local high school students, with interest rates as high as 650%, which allowed them to continue betting.
Talking about the case, a Jeju Police official said that this latest sting was part of an ongoing mission to pursue the operators of illegal gambling operations, especially those targeting young people. The arrests come just a month after a report showed that the level of teenagers seeking treatment for gambling addiction in South Korea has risen threefold in just two years.
