South Korean police have dismantled an alleged illegal gambling network that impersonated Kangwon Land, arresting 58 people in a nationwide crackdown. Authorities said the group operated an online casino that attracted more than 40,000 domestic users through counterfeit branding and deepfake advertisements.
According to the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, the organization promoted its platform on social media by copying Kangwon Land's logo and presenting the site as an official online extension of South Korea's only casino permitted to admit domestic players. Authorities emphasized that Kangwon Land has no online gambling operation.
Investigators said the group went a step further by producing deepfake promotional videos featuring the faces and voices of well-known athletes to increase the site's credibility and attract new members.
Police identified a Russian national in his 30s as the alleged domestic ringleader. The operation was reportedly made up largely of Russian-born individuals, including people from Kazakhstan living in South Korea, who worked in separate cells responsible for managing deposits and withdrawals, recruiting mule accounts and handling day-to-day operations.
To avoid detection, the network allegedly rotated more than 70 mule bank accounts, replacing them approximately every month. Between October 2022 and August 2025, investigators estimate that roughly KRW78bn flowed through the illegal platform.
Authorities have already obtained a pre-indictment asset preservation order covering approximately KRW1.5bn in suspected criminal proceeds linked to the group's leaders.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police now pursuing overseas-based operators believed to be connected to the network while also examining high-frequency and high-value gamblers among the site's tens of thousands of users.
Officials warned that criminals are increasingly exploiting the names of trusted institutions and using emerging technologies such as deepfakes to make illegal gambling operations appear legitimate. Police said they would continue targeting organizations that use deception to promote unlawful gambling activities and urged the public to verify the authenticity of online gaming platforms before engaging with them.
Kangwon Land has confirmed that it does not operate any online gambling websites
