18 sports commentators arrested for illegal football streaming and gambling promotion
Foreign-backed streaming platforms found eaning over 200 million baht monthly
Police yesterday, October 8, raided six locations and arrested 18 sports influencers and commentators involved in illegal football streaming and online gambling promotion.
Information gathered by the Social Listening and Monitoring Centre under the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) revealed several unauthorised websites broadcasting live football matches. Each broadcast featured multiple well-known Thai sports influencers and commentators.
Some of the streamers also promoted illegal gambling websites, encouraging viewers to register and place bets during live matches.
Further investigation indicated that most of the illegal streaming platforms were backed by foreign investors who hired popular Thai sports streamers to provide live commentary and attract larger audiences.
Police estimated that each major football match drew over one million viewers, generating more than 200 million baht per month for the foreign investors.
Officers raided six targeted locations in Roi Et, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Bangkok, seizing electronic devices and related evidence, including nine computers, 12 mobile phones and tablets, eight microphones and commentary devices, and other equipment valued at over one million baht.
Eighteen sports streamers and online commentators were charged under Section 12 of the Gambling Act for advertising or persuading others to engage in online gambling. The offence carries a penalty of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 1,000 baht, or both.
During questioning, the suspects admitted to being paid between 1,000 and 2,000 baht per match for live commentaries, with an additional 100 baht bonus for each viewer who registered on the gambling websites.
The suspects were transferred to investigators at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) Division 3 for further legal proceedings. Police are continuing their search for others involved in the operation.
In similar cases earlier this year, a social media influencer was arrested in April for promoting gambling websites to his followers, while Thai singer Oil Saengsin was detained in January after an online gambling advertisement appeared on his Facebook account.
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