East Timor Intensifies Crackdown on Online Gambling
East Timor Bans Online Gambling to Combat Crime
The government of East Timor has recently enacted a strict ban on all online gambling activities. This move follows the Council of Ministers’ decision to halt the issuance of new gambling licenses and suspend existing licensing processes.
This ban comes shortly after a warning from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted growing criminal activities linked to the online gambling sector within the country.
The UNODC’s investigation revealed the presence of criminal networks, potentially involving individuals from other Asian nations. As a consequence, authorities detained ten suspects connected to illegal gambling operations and cyber fraud.
Additionally, the report disclosed that a government official in East Timor holds ownership of a hotel frequently linked to gatherings by companies under suspicion for criminal behavior.
Efforts to Restore Order in the Online Gambling Industry
The company GDLotto was the pioneer in East Timor to receive a license for conducting online gaming operations. However, growing evidence has linked individuals connected to online gambling in East Timor to convicted cybercriminals and offshore gaming operators.
These concerns were confirmed when eleven people were arrested for their roles in illegal gambling and related fraudulent activities. East Timor had ambitions to position itself as a hub for online gaming within Southeast Asia.
With Southeast Asia’s online fraud industry expanding, East Timor’s gambling sector has been compared unfavorably with other countries like Malaysia and Cambodia, where illegal online gambling operations are more prevalent.
There are fears that East Timor’s entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) might exacerbate the existing challenges related to illegal gambling in the country.
Challenges Faced by Southeast Asian Nations in Online Gambling
Countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia have become well-known hotspots for illegal online gambling activities, attracting many Chinese players seeking safe havens for their gaming operations.
Prominent figures like Senator Risa Hontiveros from the Philippines have criticized these nations as hubs facilitating criminal enterprises through illegal gambling.
Both countries have since undertaken considerable measures to tackle these issues and restore legal order within their gambling markets.
The ASEAN community has increased efforts to regulate and curb illegal gambling across the region. Cambodia implemented a comprehensive ban on online gambling in 2019, and the Philippines followed with a similar prohibition last year.
