Online gambling admin arrested in World Cup betting crackdown in Thailand
An online gambling administrator was arrested in Thailand in a crackdown on illegal betting during the World Cup.
The 28-year-old suspect, identified only as Joy, reportedly helped customers register for online gambling website 'miiragroup.net', which had nearly 23,000 members.
Police said the website accepted bets on 2026 FIFA World Cup matches as well as other forms of illegal gambling, generating more than 48 million baht in monthly transactions, or 576 million baht annually.
Investigators traced the operation to a low-cost housing project in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district, where they detained Joy on June 26.
They said the operation also aimed to keep youths from illegal gambling.
Officers seized a computer and a router as evidence, and charged Joy with 'jointly assisting in advertising or soliciting others to participate in unauthorised gambling activities, conspiring with two or more persons to commit money laundering, and committing money laundering offences.'
Police Colonel Jaroonroj Sukthai of Provincial Police Region 1 said Joy allegedly admitted the charges.
He said: 'The suspect admitted that she had worked as an administrator for the gambling website for more than a year, assisting customers with registering to play various online gambling games.
'Before that, she had spent more than five years working as an administrator for online gambling websites in Poipet, Cambodia.
'However, amid tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, she decided to return to Thailand and work remotely from home, earning a monthly salary of 25,000 baht.'
Joy was taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
The operation is part of a nationwide campaign ordered by Royal Thai Police chief Police General Kittirat Panpetch to dismantle online gambling syndicates during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. It runs from June 11 to July 19, featuring 48 national teams competing across 16 host cities.
