Asia Gaming Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 4 Week of 3 March 2025
(1) Amended Thai casino bill looks to prohibit any form of remote or proxy gambling
Thailand’s amended casino law prohibits remote gaming for customers outside the premises and bans live-streaming of gambling activities.
(2) Myanmar detains 200 foreigners for online gambling, fraud
The Myanmar government is working with the international community to identify and crack down on crimes, including illegal online gambling and online fraud.
(3) South Koreans Who Ran US$61M Illegal Gambling Service Get Prison Time
Several individuals will have to do prison time after a court in South Korea found them guilty of running an illegal sports gambling website worth an estimated US$61 million.
(4) YouTube will soon restrict creators from mentioning certain online gambling sites
YouTube is implementing stricter policies on gambling content, prohibiting references and links to unapproved gambling services.
(1) Amended Thai casino bill looks to prohibit any form of remote or proxy gambling
(Photo Credit: Reuters/ Dado Ruvic)
Thailand’s amended casino law includes provisions that appear to prohibit operators from offering any remote gaming options to customers outside the casino premises. According to local media, the Council of State has completed its review of the amended entertainment complex bill, which will be presented to the cabinet on 11 March 2025. Key provisions prohibit online gambling and live-streaming of gambling activities from casinos, effectively banning remote participation.
This restriction would prevent live streaming of gaming activities and likely outlaw proxy betting, where remote players place bets via phone through someone on-site. Additionally, an amendment which required Thai nationals to have at least THB50 million (approximately US$1.5 million) in their bank accounts to enter casinos, has been removed. This measure was intended to limit access to wealthier individuals but faced criticism for potentially pushing less affluent locals back to illegal gambling venues.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat argued that such restrictions would not be effective, while Genting Singapore, operator of Resorts World Sentosa, expressed concerns that a focus on foreign visitors would hinder their ability to invest in the market.
News Source: https://asgam.com/2025/03/03/amended-thai-casino-bill-looks-to-prohibit-any-form-of-remote-or-proxy-gambling/
(2) Myanmar detains 200 foreigners for online gambling, fraud
(Photo Credit: nationthailand.com)
Myanmar authorities have recently detained 200 foreign nationals who committed online gambling and fraud in the Myawady-Shwe Kokko, Mae Htaw Tha Lay, and KK Park areas. The government is working with the international community to identify and crack down on crimes, including illegal online gambling and online fraud.
The necessary personal information and records of the detained foreign nationals are being collected by departmental teams to ensure their immediate repatriation to their respective countries.
From 30 January 2025 to 28 February 2025, a total of 3,125 foreign nationals who entered Myanmar illegally were identified and detained, of whom 757 were systematically transferred to their respective countries via Thailand by legal procedures.
News Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/myanmar-detains-200-foreigners-for-online-gambling-fraud-post310824.vnp
(3) South Koreans Who Ran US$61M Illegal Gambling Service Get Prison Time
(Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com)
Several individuals in South Korea have been sentenced to prison after a court found them guilty of running an illegal sports gambling website valued at an estimated US$61 million. The Suwon District Court determined that the black-market website accepted wagers on various sports events, leading to the arrest, charging, and trial of several individuals involved in its operation. However, the names of those convicted were not made public.
One individual received a six-month prison sentence and was ordered to forfeit 200 million won, approximately US$140,000. Four accomplices were also sentenced, with terms ranging from one year to two years and two months. The court stated that the guilty parties posed a significant risk to society through their operations and that severe punishment was necessary due to their substantial criminal proceeds and deep involvement in establishing and running the gambling site.
South Korea has been facing issues with illegal gambling operations, as the country prohibits most forms of internet gambling, thus creating a demand for secondary, black‑markets.
News Source: https://www.gamblingnews.com/news/south-koreans-who-ran-61m-illegal-gambling-service-get-prison-time/
(4) YouTube will soon restrict creators from mentioning certain online gambling sites
(Photo Credit: Alex Castro/ The Verge)
YouTube is tightening its policies on gambling content, announcing that it will soon prohibit creators from verbally referring to gambling services not approved by Google, as well as displaying their logos and linking to them in videos. The new rules, which will come into effect on 19 March 2025, may also impose age restrictions on videos about online gambling, meaning viewers under 18 or anyone not signed into YouTube will be unable to watch these videos. YouTube states that this rule excludes videos showing online sports betting and people gambling in person.
Also, YouTube may remove content “promising guaranteed returns,” regardless of whether the gambling service in question has been approved by Google. The platform acknowledges that this update may impact creators focusing on online gambling content like casino games and applications, but believes these changes are necessary to protect the community, especially younger viewers.
The company had previously banned gambling ads for its masthead ad slot in 2021. Last month, Google also announced that it will start testing a machine learning model to estimate a user’s age, allowing its platforms, including YouTube, to provide “age‑appropriate experiences.”
News Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/623985/youtube-online-gambling-rules-restrictions
