Gambling News Across Asia
News on laws, licenses, venues, lotteries, racing and enforcement in 12 countries, with every story citing its sources.
Police announce special crackdown on youth-targeting gambling sites until March 31, 2024
South Korea's government launched a cross-ministry response team on November 3, 2023, and police will run a special crackdown until March 31, 2024 on online gambling sites and ads that lure young people.
MGA lists sbobet.com and w88-related domains as unauthorized
The Malta Gaming Authority has declared sbobet.com, fun-88.in, w88kub.com and related domains to have no connection with the regulator, saying any license claims on them are false.
Fourth Comprehensive Plan sets 0.43% revenue cap and 100-venue cap, excludes foreigner-only casinos
South Korea's National Gambling Control Commission set a 0.43% of GDP revenue cap and a 100-venue limit under its Fourth Comprehensive Plan, excluding foreigner-only casinos from the cap.
Torture den found in raid on illegal POGO hubs in Pasay City
Philippine authorities raided two illegal POGO hubs in Pasay City in November 2023, rescued 731 suspected human trafficking victims and found a hidden torture den inside one of the sites.
Weight system changed to grade-based handicap
The Keihan Hai, a Grade 3 sprint at Kyoto Racecourse run by the JRA, moved to grade-based weight conditions from 2023, setting 56kg for three-year-olds and 57kg for older horses, with mares 2kg less.
PCSO sets minimum jackpot prizes to P89 million for all jackpot-bearing games
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office raised the minimum jackpot for all its jackpot-bearing lotto games to P89 million on October 30, 2023, marking its 89th founding anniversary.
Iacat raids Pasay Pogo hub, rescues 731 trafficking victims
Philippine agents raided a Pasay City Pogo building on Oct. 27, rescuing 731 suspected trafficking victims and later relieving the city police chief and 26 officers over the site.
Assembly audit finds illegal sports toto site blocking rate fell sharply
A South Korean assembly audit heard that the share of illegal sports toto sites successfully blocked fell from 67.6 percent in 2018 to 28.3 percent by September 2023, even as registrations hit a five year high.
Executive Council approved increase in HKJC annual simulcast races cap from 10 to 25 from 2023
Hong Kong's Executive Council directed that the Jockey Club's annual cap on simulcast races rise by 15, from 10 to 25, and that overseas races per simulcast day rise from 9 to 12.
ED provisionally attaches ₹41 crore in Mahadev betting app case
India's Enforcement Directorate has filed its first chargesheet in the Mahadev online betting app case, naming 14 accused and reporting provisional attachment of ₹41 crore in proceeds of crime.
ED files first chargesheet against 14 accused in Mahadev betting app case
India's Enforcement Directorate filed its first chargesheet in the Mahadev online betting app case, naming 14 accused including founders Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, and reporting ₹41 crore attached.
MBS becomes aware of data leak and reports to authorities
Marina Bay Sands says an unknown third party accessed the personal data of about 665,000 Sands LifeStyle rewards members in a leak on Oct 19 and 20, and it has reported the incident to the authorities.
Data leak exposes data of 665,000 MBS rewards members
Marina Bay Sands says an unknown third party accessed the personal data of about 665,000 Sands LifeStyle rewards members in a leak on Oct 19 and 20, 2023.
Court of Appeal rules online gambling an offense under Common Gaming Houses Act 1953
Malaysia's Court of Appeal has ruled that online gambling is an offense under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, holding that premises used for online betting count as a common gaming house even without physical gambling machines.
Key accused in Mahadev betting app case arrested at Mumbai airport
Mrugank Mishra, accused of opening more than 1,600 bank accounts for the Mahadev betting app, was arrested at Mumbai airport on arrival from Dubai and handed to Rajasthan police.
Online gambling ring with over VND 1,800 billion in transactions dismantled
Ben Tre police and the Ministry of Public Security arrested Vo Vu Lam and 11 others over an online gambling network on Sbobet.com, Ibet, Viva88 and SV388 with more than VND 1,800 billion in transactions.
ED finds Dawood Ibrahim links in Mahadev betting app probe
India's Enforcement Directorate has found that promoters of the Mahadev online betting app were in contact with Dawood Ibrahim's brother and may frame terror-related charges against Sourabh Chandrakar.
Agency publishes response on NFT game services
Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency published its Gray Zone Elimination System response on NFT game services on October 12, 2023, listing the answer among other published regulatory confirmations.
China calls on Philippines to crack down on POGO-related crimes
China's embassy in Manila urged the Philippines to crack down hard on crimes tied to offshore gaming operators and offered more cooperation on enforcement and repatriation.
Ministry of Gender Equality and Family pre-announces notice banning youth entry to hold'em pubs and speculative game establishments
South Korea's gender equality ministry has pre-announced a notice that would bar young people from hold'em pubs and other speculative game establishments, with enactment planned within the year.
Three POGO parks shut down and 400 Chinese nationals repatriated
The Chinese Embassy in Manila said law enforcement cooperation with the Philippines shut down three POGO parks and led to the repatriation of about 400 Chinese nationals.
President orders whole-of-government response to juvenile gambling
President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered a whole-of-government response to illegal gambling aimed at juveniles, calling it a vicious crime, and prosecutors set arrest as the rule for site operators.
PNP reports 4,039 POGO-related crime victims in first half of 2023
The Philippine National Police told a Senate committee that 4,039 people were victims of POGO-related crimes in the first half of 2023, up from 128 in the same period of 2022.
28% GST takes effect on chip purchases at Deltin Casinos
Deltin Casinos began charging 28% Goods and Services Tax on chip and playing coupon purchases from October 1, 2023, under Notification No. 51/2023, with no refund on return or encashment.
Cash out bet definition amended by S 695/2023
Singapore's Gambling Duties Regulations 2022 were amended by S 695/2023 with effect from 1 October 2023, inserting a definition of "cash out bet" into the regulations that set gambling duty rules.
Court of Appeal rules online gambling can be an offense under the CGHA
Malaysia's Court of Appeal ruled in October 2023 that online gambling can be an offense under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, overturning a 2022 High Court finding and leaving the legal position contested.
Gaia files for civil rehabilitation
Gaia, one of the Heisei pachinko big three, applied to the Tokyo District Court for civil rehabilitation in October 2023 with group debt of JPY 113.3 billion, the largest-scale bankruptcy on record.
Ground preparation for MGM Osaka begins
Ground preparation for MGM Osaka, Japan's first integrated resort, began in late 2023 on Yumeshima Island, with a groundbreaking ceremony held in April 2024 and completion targeted for 2030.
LINE Yahoo Corporation formed by merger
Yahoo! Corporation and LINE Corporation integrated their management in October 2023 to form LINE Yahoo Corporation, which now runs a police-linked warning on online casino searches in Japan.
New official multi-race auto race tickets to go on sale
Hamamatsu City and four co-organizing municipalities will sell new official multi-race AutoRace betting tickets on the official internet voting site from October 2023, with projected sales of 600 million yen.