Site that took bets on Euro 2024 matches had B161 million in turnover, say police

Six people have been arrested for running a gambling website to receive bets on Euro 2024 football matches during police raids on four locations in Chiang Rai and Pathum Thani provinces. The website had 161 million baht in turnover, police said on Friday.

Three locations in Chiang Rai and one in Pathum Thani were searched in connection with the gambling site Autowin888, said Pol Maj Gen Athip Pongsiwapai, commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD).

Four women and two men were arrested on warrants issued by the Criminal Court on charges of operating online gambling and laundering money.

They were identified as Patcha Natesungnoen, 41; Patthraporn Saemon, 25; Sudarat Kerdkaewmuangmul, 36; Wannapha Thephakhum, 28; Chaichanadet Jantakhad, 29; and Kawinphat Sirisapyakhun, 26.

Seized in the raids were two computers, 29 mobile phones, 22 bank passbooks, 19 ATM cards, two cars, 3.6 million baht in cash, two land title deeds, a shotgun and other valuables.

Pol Maj Gen Athip said gambling has been rampant during the Euro tournament so far, and police have stepped up investigations of gambling websites. They found that Autowin888, with offices in Chiang Rai and Pathum Thani, had turnover of 161 million baht between October last year and April this year, said the TCSD commander.

The six suspects admitted to the charges, said police. One of them, Mr Kawinphat, was the owner of the website.

He earlier worked as an employee of a gambling website in Myanmar before setting up his own business in July last year, according to his confession.

All suspects were being held in police custody for legal action.