TLDR Criminal groups in Southeast Asia use casinos, online gambling, and crypto to hide illegal money, according to an ACAMS analysis. A UNODC report says China is the largest source of demand for the region’s illegal online gambling. Casinos and scam compounds often share trafficked workers, buildings, and IT systems. The EU sanctioned 7 people and 3 entities, and FinCEN issued an alert naming Cambodia’s Huione Group. The UNODC says crackdowns often scatter criminal groups instead of shutting them down.
Criminal groups in Southeast Asia are using casinos, online gambling sites, and cryptocurrency to hide illegal money, according to an analysis by the ACAMS moneylaundering.com legal team. The groups are also linked to fraud and human trafficking.
The analysis draws on reports from several international bodies. These include the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering.
The UNODC says China is the largest source of demand for the region’s illegal online gambling. Digital payments and cryptocurrency have given criminals more ways to move money across borders.
How Gambling Helps Hide Illegal Money
A 256-page UNODC report released on July 26 said criminal organizations had taken over gaming facilities, workers, and payment systems. They used them to carry out large-scale fraud and trafficking.
Methods such as turning cash into chips and placing hidden multiplier bets can make illegal money look legitimate. This can happen at licensed casinos or on online platforms with real or fake licenses.
The UNODC also said criminal groups bribe politicians and government officials. This helps them get licenses and move across borders more easily.
Casinos and scam compounds sometimes share the same trafficked workers, buildings, and digital systems. Many sit in border areas involving Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and China, while