Gwangju, South Korea — A man in his 20s has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in an illegal online gambling operation based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which handled transactions exceeding 20 billion KRW.

On January 18, 2026, Judge Park Ha-young of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court announced that the defendant, identified as "A," was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay a forfeiture of 19 million KRW. A was charged with violating the National Sports Promotion Act (establishing gambling venues) and participating in a criminal organization.

According to court records, A was part of a criminal syndicate that operated out of a leased apartment in Phnom Penh from July 2022 to June 2023. During this period, the organization processed approximately 25 billion KRW in deposits and 19.6 billion KRW in withdrawals from illegal gambling activities.

The investigation revealed that A played a key role in the organization's logistics. He recruited members in South Korea via social media and online forums, facilitating their departure to Cambodia. Upon their arrival, the organization seized the recruits' passports and personal phones under the guise of visa renewal, replacing them with burner phones to maintain strict control over the members.

While A initially started as a recruiter targeting former gamblers, he was promoted to "Recruitment Team Leader" in January 2023, taking on a more significant managerial role within the syndicate.

In the ruling, Judge Park stated, "The gravity of the defendant’s responsibility is significant, considering the massive scale of the operation, the illicit profits generated, and the organized nature of the crime." However, the court added that it took into account several mitigating factors, including the fact that A confessed to his crimes, returned to South Korea voluntarily to face charges, and had no prior criminal record.

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