Disguised as a Luxury Shopping Site
Switches Upon Entering Specific Code
No Betting Limits, Attracting 'One-Shot' Bets
Only Site Operators Earn High Profits
Reporting Is Futile Due to Overseas Servers
When illegal Sports Toto sites are shut down, participants often receive guidance from the original site operators and move to the same site. Photo by Reader Provided
Office worker Kim (30) has used illegal sports toto for the past five years. Kim got into sports betting after acquaintances who worked part-time with him recommended sites that posed no risk of being "pokpa." Pokpa refers to sites designated as illegal and shut down or suspended when operators move the site. Kim said the reason he was addicted to illegal gambling for five years was "because he didn't get caught in crackdowns."
According to Kim, safe sites disguise themselves as luxury shopping sites, and when a specific code is entered, they transform into illegal gambling sites. He said he never forgets the first time he accessed the site and placed a bet, citing unlimited betting as the charm of illegal sports gambling. Kim said, "Unlike legal sports toto, there is virtually no limit on the betting amount, so it's good for aiming for a big win," adding, "They even broadcast matches from the French third-division soccer league, and I once earned up to 5 million won by betting on such games."
Site operators have been found to earn high profits. Lee Eun-hae and Cho Hyun-soo, involved in the "Valley Murder," reportedly raised funds through operating such sites during their four-month escape. On the 27th, prosecutors stated in the indictment against A (32) and B (31), who helped Lee evade capture, that "From January to April, A operated various illegal sites including illegal sports toto, brought computers to the officetel where Lee and Cho were hiding, and was in charge of promoting the illegal sites." It was confirmed that A and others supported Lee and Cho with 19 million won, part of the profits earned during this process, as escape funds.
When illegal sites are shut down, participants either move to the same site following the original operator's guidance or look for other sites. Some participants become so addicted to sports betting itself that they turn to legal sports toto. On the 1st, Kim, an employee at the Seoul Central Nonghyup Guui Station branch, was booked on charges of embezzlement in the course of duty. It was reported that he used the embezzled funds for gambling, including sports toto, over a year.
The Korea Sports Promotion Foundation increased the rewards for reporting illegal sports toto sites at the end of last year, but the effect was temporary. From July last year to June this year, the average number of reports was about 9,460. November and December last year recorded the highest numbers of the year with 16,874 and 29,313 reports, respectively. However, the numbers declined afterward and have remained steady since June. A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said, "Many servers are located overseas, and in some cases, the mastermind of the organization is a foreigner, making arrests very difficult," adding, "This is similar to voice phishing crimes, causing difficulties."
Currently, the only legal sports betting gambling in Korea is sports toto and the official internet sales site Betman. Other similar sites and sales activities are illegal. According to the current National Sports Promotion Act, illegal sports gambling can result in imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won for both operators and participants.
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