Law enforcement agencies around the world have joined forces in a major crackdown on illegal football gambling, resulting in over 5,100 arrests and the recovery of more than USD 59 million in illicit proceeds. The operation, named SOGA X, was executed from June to July 2024 in collaboration with INTERPOL and 28 countries and territories. This strategic initiative was timed to coincide with the UEFA 2024 European Football Championship, a period known to attract increased betting activities, especially from organized crime groups seeking to profit from illegal football gambling.

The global illegal gambling market is estimated to be worth a staggering USD 1.7 trillion, as per research from the Asian Racing Federation. This underground industry is often linked to various criminal activities such as human trafficking, money laundering, and fraud. The SOGA X operation aimed not only to target illegal online football gambling but also to dismantle the networks supporting these criminal enterprises, shedding light on the extensive connections between sports betting and broader criminal activities.

Throughout the operation, authorities successfully shut down thousands of illegal gambling websites and initiated investigations that led to the rescue of human trafficking victims and the exposure of sophisticated money laundering schemes. For example, in the Philippines, local authorities, with INTERPOL’s assistance, dismantled a scam center associated with a licensed gambling operation, showcasing the interplay between legal and illegal activities.

In the Philippines, SOGA X led to the rescue of over 650 human trafficking victims, including nearly 400 Filipinos and more than 250 foreign nationals from six different countries. Many of these individuals were deceived into believing they had secured legitimate employment only to find themselves coerced into working for a legal gambling site while also engaging in illegal cyber scams. An INTERPOL Operational Support Team played a crucial role in extracting and analyzing forensic evidence, aiding in tracing illicit financial flows and identifying victims and suspects across multiple jurisdictions.

The impact of SOGA X extended beyond the Philippines to other countries like Vietnam, where authorities dismantled a complex gambling ring processing USD 800,000 in daily transactions. In Thailand, raids on illegal betting sites led to the arrest of key ringleaders and the seizure of assets worth over USD 9 million. Additionally, in Greece, an organized crime group manipulating the betting landscape with fake accounts across multiple countries was taken down.

SOGA X’s success was attributed to collaboration with various international organizations, including the Asia-Pacific Expert Group on Organized Crime (APEG) and the INTERPOL Match Fixing Task Force (IMFTF). Stephen Kavanagh, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services, emphasized the critical role of global information sharing in combating organized crime networks profiting from illegal gambling. The implications of illegal football gambling extend beyond financial loss to include match-fixing, where criminals manipulate sports outcomes for guaranteed profits.

Operation SOGA X highlighted the need for international cooperation in combating illegal gambling activities that threaten the integrity of sports and public safety. As investigations continue, the impact of this operation is expected to reverberate throughout the global online gambling landscape, with law enforcement agencies focusing on dismantling the infrastructure supporting illegal football gambling to uphold the integrity of sports across borders. The collaborative effort of countries like Australia, Belgium, Greece, and Vietnam underscores the commitment to combating illegal gambling on a global scale.

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