Thai Police Make Multiple Arrests in Raid on Online Casino Operator

Thai police say they have “dismantled” the Eu9thaff gambling portal, making multiple arrests and freezing bank accounts they say the platform operators used to launder funds.

A court in Phitsanulok, the capital of Phitsanulok Province, in the north of the country, issued eight arrest warrants, the Thai media outlet Siamrath reported.

Police say they have executed four of the warrants, but added that four other suspects remain at large.

At the time of writing, the Eu9thaff website remains online. Its social media accounts are also still operational, but have not been updated in several days.

The site offers users access to slots and roulette-inspired games, offering deposits and withdrawals in Thai baht.

In February, the site’s operators told Thai social media influencers they could earn a commission of up to 45% by promoting the site via affiliate links on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.

The platform’s owners operated a dedicated chatroom service for would-be affiliates.

Thai Police: Four Suspects Still at Large

All forms of online gambling and related advertising are illegal in Thailand. Casinos are also illegal, although the government allows betting at permit-holding horse racing tracks and operates a national lottery.

Police said they are continuing to “conduct further investigations” to find the remaining four suspects. Detectives want to charge all of the suspects with offences, including the organization of unauthorized electronic gambling and money laundering.

Officers said two of the arrestees hail from Chiang Rai Province. The others live in Chiang Mai Province and Phayao Province.

Two female suspects are accused of orchestrating money laundering for the site. Police say two men, one of whom is the director of a medical clinic, were responsible for accounting.

Officials said they seized cell phones, an imported pickup truck, bank books, and 0.54 grams of ketamine during raids on several properties in Phitsanulok.

A spokesperson for the police force said all four suspects are being held for questioning ahead of indictment at the Mae Ai Police Station.

Authorities are currently tracking down the remaining four suspects and examining their financial transactions and assets.

Crackdown Intensifies

Thai police have stepped up their gambling crackdown in recent weeks. Detectives have been focusing much of their efforts on eliminating social media-powered gambling.

Last month, officers in central Phuket said they had shut down a gambling den that catered exclusively to Russian-speakers.

Police raided the suspected den after discovering advertisements for the underground betting establishment on Instagram.

Detectives said the operators had “brazenly” promoted their activities on social media sites, also using WhatsApp groups to woo would-be gamblers.