According to The Nation, Thai Police kicked a crackdown on World Cup gambling in the beginning of May with the launch of a specialised, dedicated online soccer gambling task force centre.
The task force already successfully bust an illegal gambling ring this past Sunday that saw six arrests and the confiscation of all 13 computers, gambling slips and money.
The task force will hand summons to 600 punters identified from documentation captured in the raid charging them with illegal gaming, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Maj-General Panurat Lakboon confirmed.
In accordance with Panarat, if any punters are proven to be underage, their parents may possibly encounter 18 months of prison time under the Child Protection Act.
Panurat also disclosed that anti-gambling raids from May 1, have observed the arrests of more than two dozen bookmakers, 200 bettors and Bt171,856 in money together with gambling slips totalling Bt297,846 and a number of gaming paraphernalia.
Three hundred illegal gaming sites are identified and tracked with blocking requests forwarded to the country’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission.
Anti-gambling raids are expected to intensify in the days leading up to and throughout the Football World Cup.
