'Crime City 4' Becomes Reality... Punishment is Suspended Sentence with a Fine of 70 Million Won

[Financial News] A man in his 50s who operated an overseas remote gambling site using the 'Avatar Betting' method with domestic participants has been sentenced to a suspended sentence.
According to the legal community on the 12th, the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 9 (Judge Kim Min-jeong) sentenced Mr. A (54), who was indicted for opening a gambling space, to one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence and ordered a fine of 70 million won. A 120-hour community service order was also issued.
Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of being involved in a remote gambling organization at a casino in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, from March 2023 for 10 months, acting as an offline agent, an avatar.
It was found that organization B collaborated with the local casino to allow domestic gambling participants to see the table game situation in real-time through YouTube live broadcasts and messenger chats. Participants watched this and instructed avatars like Mr. A to place proxy bets.
Illegal gambling participants transferred funds to accounts under the name of organization B's finance team, and the funds were exchanged for casino chips and used in on-site games. When winning, the chips were exchanged for Korean won and paid to the participants, and when losing, the profits settled by the casino were used for organizational operating expenses and salaries.
Mr. A received tips of 5 dollars every 30 minutes while betting on table games according to the instructions of casino participants. It was revealed that the total funds managed by these organizations amounted to 3.08 billion won.
The court pointed out, "The defendant played the essential role of an avatar, allowing domestic users to easily participate in overseas gambling," and "The organized and planned crime has a significant social harm."
However, the court considered it a favorable circumstance that "he received a salary and played a relatively simple role, did not lead the crime, and actively cooperated with the investigative agency."
425_sama@fnnews.com Choi Seung-han Reporter