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Criminal group operating illegal gambling websites caught by police

Published: 09 Mar. 2026, 14:31 Updated: 09 Mar. 2026, 18:25

An illegal gambling site run by the ″Top Cafe″ operators [ULSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

A criminal group that operated illegal gambling websites and handled tens of billions of won, with agents across the country recruiting members and even infiltrating adult-only internet cafes, has been caught by police.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency apprehended eight members of a criminal ring — including its ringleader, midlevel managers and customer service staff — and detained seven of them on charges of operating illegal gambling sites, according to the police on Monday.

The group is accused of operating two illegal gambling websites, including one called “Top Cafe,” for about six years from January 2020 to February this year. Police estimate that there are more than 1,000 members on the sites, through which 70 billion won ($46.9 million) moved in bets.

The investigation found that the suspects had placed agents in several areas, including Gyeonggi, to promote the sites. They also provided gambling programs to adult-only internet cafes.

Participants accessed the websites — designed to look like they hosted computer games — and deposited cash into designated bank accounts, after which the money was converted into site credits. They then engaged in illegal casino-style gambling through games such as slots and baccarat. When users wanted to cash out their credits, the group transferred money to their bank accounts.

An illegal gambling site run by the ″Top Cafe″ operators [ULSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

The group ran the two sites like a company, with members working in site operations and management, promotion, deposits and withdrawals, money laundering and customer service. They shared profits by taking a set percentage of the amounts wagered by users, the amount of which depended on their role.

They also used increasingly sophisticated methods to evade police tracking. They used burner phones and created bank accounts under false names. Agents also rented out offices under other people’s names and moved frequently. The gambling-site servers were based overseas.

Police received intelligence related to Top Cafe in June 2025. After identifying three offices in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, they tracked the group for eight months by analyzing transactions from about 100 crime-linked accounts and call records between accomplices before making the arrests.

An illegal gambling site run by the ″Top Cafe″ operators [ULSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

At the arrest scene, police seized bundles of cash believed to be criminal proceeds worth about 62 million won and three luxury watches, including Rolex watches.

“Illegal gambling sites can expose not only adults but also teenagers indiscriminately to crime and can lead to gambling addiction, financial ruin and secondary crimes,” a police officer said. “Police plan to recover the criminal proceeds earned by operating the gambling sites through forfeiture and preservation procedures.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM YOUN-HO [[email protected]]