Warning about football betting during the EURO season.
Football betting criminals are taking full advantage of advancements in science and technology, operating with sophisticated methods and involving trillions of dong in gambling money.
Authorities dismantled numerous large-scale gambling rings.
The Ministry of Public Security has just issued a warning, advising people not to participate in or organize football betting in any form, especially during the European Football Championship (EURO) 2024.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, the European Football Championship (EURO) 2024, taking place from June 15th to July 15th, 2024, is a sporting event that attracts a large number of fans worldwide and in Vietnam.
This also creates conditions for football betting crimes to become more complex, especially online football betting.
A recent example (June 20th) involved the Hai Chau District Police, in coordination with the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department (Da Nang City Police) and the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Bureau (Ministry of Public Security), discovering and arresting a group of individuals in Da Nang who colluded with individuals in Ho Chi Minh City to organize and participate in gambling in the form of football betting on websites with the domain names www.viva6889.com and www.sporty88.com.
The police determined that in addition to the three ringleaders residing in Da Nang, there were 12 other individuals involved; seized evidence included nearly 240 million VND in cash, savings passbooks, 12 mobile phones of various types, 3 laptops of various types, 1 desktop computer, 2 iPads, 3 diaries, 2 football calendars, and over 1 billion VND in the suspects' bank accounts.
At the time of their arrest, the suspects admitted to organizing gambling activities based on domestic and international football leagues (including the Euro 2024 group stage) with transaction and betting values of approximately 8 million USD (over 160 billion VND) per month.
During the investigation, the police recorded approximately 83,000 bets placed on the suspects' accounts, with the total transaction value of the online platform estimated at over 1 trillion VND.
In Nghe An province, over the past period, law enforcement agencies have used a comprehensive range of professional and technical methods to detect and strictly handle individuals who organize or participate in gambling in the form of football betting.
Typically, in June 2023, the Vinh City Police Investigation Agency initiated a case and prosecuted 9 defendants for the crimes of organizing gambling and gambling in the form of football betting.
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This is a large-scale online gambling ring involving football betting in Nghe An province, led by Gian Tu Cong (born in 1991), residing in Ha Huy Tap ward, Vinh city, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City.
All gambling transactions of this group were conducted online via smartphone. Gian Tu Cong used a master account to organize gambling in the form of football betting on the website "bong88.comalong with several other individuals from within and outside the province.
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After a period of implementing investigative measures, the Vinh City Police successfully cracked the case, arresting Gian Tu Cong and 8 other suspects, including 5 individuals residing in Vinh City: Pham Quang Manh (born 1991), Nguyen Minh Tai (born 1992) residing in Ben Thuy Ward; Nguyen Van Tai (born 2000) residing in Nghi Kim Commune, Nguyen Xuan Danh (born 2001) residing in Hung Loc Commune, Nguyen Huu Duc (born 1993) residing in Le Mao Ward; and 3 individuals: Dang Khac Duy (born 1989) residing in Giang Son Dong Commune, Do Luong District; Le Van Son (born 1982) residing in Ky Son Commune, Tan Ky District; and Nguyen Van Le (born 1983) residing in Xuan Lam Commune, Hung Nguyen District.
The seized evidence included 10 mobile phones, along with other items related to the case. Authorities proved that the amount of money transacted by the suspects in gambling through football betting from April 2023 until the time of their arrest was over 80 billion VND.
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The Ministry of Public Security stated: Based on practical experience in combating and handling crimes related to football betting, it has been observed that football betting criminals have thoroughly exploited the development of science and technology, operating in complex and diverse forms and scales: from spontaneous, simple, and small-scale activities to organized networks and gangs operating across provinces and internationally in cyberspace.
There are online football betting rings formed by professional gambling ringleaders who connect with individuals and bookmakers managing betting websites. These websites have servers located abroad and are used to create smaller networks for online football betting in Vietnam, employing various attractive advertising and solicitations openly in Vietnamese. Players only need internet-connected devices, register a member account, and open a personal bank account to participate in betting.
In particular, many players are provided with gambling accounts and passwords, along with an advance payment of virtual money for betting. If they lose and cannot pay, these individuals may use coercive methods to force payment, such as illegal detention, extortion, or hiring criminals to collect debts.
This gives rise to many types of crimes and other violations of the law, such as illegal lending, fraud, robbery, and theft, threatening the peaceful lives of the people.
NMaintain heightened vigilance and take preventative measures.preventionbetting
Currently, the European Football Championship (EURO) 2024 is a sporting event attracting a large number of fans.
To proactively prevent and combat online gambling crimes in the form of football betting, the Ministry of Public Security recommends:
Every citizen should fully understand the positive entertainment values of football, watching it with a healthy mindset; refrain from participating in or organizing football betting in any form. Pay attention to managing, educating, and encouraging family members and those around you to be vigilant and stay away from football betting. If you detect individuals exhibiting suspicious behavior related to football betting, promptly report it to the nearest police station for investigation and resolution. The police also advise that football betting is a violation of the law and will be severely punished.
According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Hai, a lawyer and Director of Trong Hai & Associates Law Firm: Football betting is the act of using money or other assets to wager on predicting the outcome of a football match that is about to start or is currently underway but has not yet ended or has not yet had a final result.
Football betting can be done in many different forms, such as: betting directly at casinos and bookmakers; betting via the Internet; betting via telephone... Football betting is also a form of gambling.
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Individuals participating in illegal football betting may face criminal prosecution. Specifically, according to Article 321 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended in 2017, which stipulates the crime of gambling, those participating in illegal football betting who bet with an amount of money or goods of 5 million VND or more, or less than 5 million VND in the following cases, may be prosecuted for criminal liability.Gambling gang:
+ Has been previously penalized for administrative violations related to gambling or organizing gambling.
+Having been convicted of gambling or organizing gambling or facilitating gambling but not yet having their criminal record expunged, and committing the offense again.
Individuals prosecuted for gambling offenses may face non-custodial correctional measures for up to 3 years or imprisonment from 6 months to 7 years. In addition, offenders may also be fined from 10,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND.
Therefore, people need to be more vigilant and say "No" to football betting to avoid violating the law.
"Football betting is also a form of gambling. Based on Article 321 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended and supplemented in 2017, which stipulates the crime of gambling, those participating in football betting may be prosecuted."
(Dr. Nguyen Trong Hai, Attorney - Director of Trong Hai & Associates Law Firm)
The Ministry of Public Security also requested that press and media agencies actively participate in disseminating information and warnings to raise public awareness and vigilance; cooperate in detecting crimes and violations of the law related to football betting, contributing to ensuring social order, safety and peace of life, especially during the EURO 2024 season.