Vietnamese police break up major online gambling ring

Vietnamese police reported Tuesday that an illegal online gambling ring that generated revenues of US$26 million from operations across several southern provinces has been destroyed, and ten persons involved in the enterprise detained.

The successful police action is the latest in series of major operations designed to eliminate a persistent problem as illegal online gambling rings continue to appear.

A police spokesman revealed that since July this year the ringleaders in the current operation ran several websites for sports betting and other forms of gambling, attracting hundreds of online punters.

The network spanned several provinces and was headed by a 37-year-old identified as Huynh Quoc Viet.

“We arrested seven people and three others turned themselves in. The investigation is still ongoing,” the police source told AFP Tuesday from the central province of Quang Nam.

Several houses were raided across multiple cities and police confiscated two rifles, $20,000 in cash and several cars and mobile phones, police revealed.

The suspects are alleged to have illegally offered high-interest loans and could be hired to collect debts using force.

Most gambling is illegal in Vietnam, although the one-party state said last year it may ease restrictions on sports betting and allow some Vietnamese to gamble in casinos on a pilot basis – these rules have still to be implemented, however.

Vietnam has a population of 93 million with a culture of gambling.