Thailand's Technology Crime Suppression Police briefed the media on November 2 about its case against the foreign-based gambling website Shuffle.com, a case that has since produced searches at 11 locations, 11 suspects and one prison sentence1.
Police Major General Sirivat Deephor, speaking for the Technology Crime Suppression Division, said the briefing covered how the investigation is being run because the site is hosted abroad. The case therefore began with checks on players inside Thailand1.
"เว็บไซต์ Shuffle.com ตั้งอยู่ในต่างประเทศ แนวทางการดำเนินคดีจึงเริ่มต้นจากการตรวจสอบกลุ่มผู้เล่นที่อยู่ในประเทศไทย"
Officers carried out searches at 11 locations in Bangkok and the provinces and identified 11 suspects, seizing mobile phones and computers from homes1. Police Major General Arus Saengchan said three suspects linked to the site had been arrested1. Some suspects confessed and others denied the allegations, and officers said the seized devices are undergoing forensic examination to gather electronic evidence1.
On November 5, one suspect who confessed was charged and sent to the district court, which sentenced that person to imprisonment, the first ruling in the case1. Police said the investigation unit has been set up with 80 operating teams after information came from three digital asset exchange platforms1. Police said further details would wait for a fresh statement from the Technology Crime Suppression Division commander1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Suspects identified | 11 |
| Arrested | 3 |
| Sentenced to prison | 1 |
| Operating teams | 80 |
| Digital asset exchanges providing information | 3 |
What it means for players
The case shows Thai police treating players inside the country as the entry point when a gambling site is hosted overseas, rather than starting with the operator1. That means people in Thailand who used Shuffle.com, including locals, expats and visitors, may fall within an investigation that is built on device seizures and records obtained from digital asset exchanges1. Police said suspects who deny the allegations may still face charges if evidence shows they accessed the site and gambled from Thailand1. The outcome for anyone not yet charged has not been reported.
What happens next
Devices seized in the searches are being examined for electronic evidence1. Police said suspects who have denied the allegations may contest the case using that electronic evidence, and that further charges will follow if access and betting from Thailand is established1. Police said a further statement from the Technology Crime Suppression Division commander is pending1.
For background on the market, see Online Gambling in Asia and Gambling in Thailand.
Sources1 sources
- ปูพรมค้น 11 จุด ล่าเครือข่ายเว็บพนัน Shuffle.com, thairath.co.th
