Thai influencer handed a jail sentence for promoting illegal gambling

(AsiaGameHub) –   A social media content creator based in Thailand has been handed a prison sentence after being convicted of unlawfully promoting gambling services to her followers.

According to reports from Thaiger News, 24-year-old Narumon “Mind”, who has more than 740,000 followers on Facebook, advertised a gambling platform via her social media story posts, while her account also hosted dance videos posted alongside links to gambling sites.

The Don Mueang District Court initially issued a six-month prison term to the influencer, which was reduced to three months after she admitted to the offenses, with the remaining part of the sentence converted to a two-month detention order.

Thailand’s Police Cyber Taskforce launched investigations into her activities, and authorities have confirmed they are continuing to probe the online gambling network that Narumon promoted.

Police Major General Siriwat Deephor also issued a warning to influencers against sharing gambling-related content, noting that anyone who engages in such behavior will face scrutiny from cyber police. In Thailand, nearly all forms of gambling are illegal, with only the national lottery and horse race betting at licensed tracks permitted.

The country’s leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, has long been a vocal critic of gambling, and has repeatedly stated that regulatory reforms to introduce looser gambling rules in Thailand will not be rolled out during his time in office.

His leadership was formalized last week after his Bhumjaithai Party secured 191 seats in Thailand’s 500-member parliament, and the coalition government formed after the election voted to re-elect Charnvirakul to his post.

Last year, the Don Mueang District Court also sentenced another Thai influencer, Aspara “Earn Earn”, to three years in prison for similarly urging her followers to participate in online gambling activities.

In other parts of Asia, authorities in the Philippines have also continued their efforts to target influencers accused of working with illegal gambling operators.

Earlier this month, the country’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) announced it is taking action against ten influencers in partnership with PAGCOR, the Philippines’ gaming regulator, and Digital Pinoys, a government-supported digital advocacy group.

The latest updates from the CICC come after comparable warnings were issued to a group of 30 influencers back in November. At that time, CICC Undersecretary Renato Paraiso stated that the influencers could face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Presidential Decree No. 1602, which imposes harsher penalties for illegal gambling, and Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code covering estafa.

If they are prosecuted, the influencers could face fines and possible prison sentences under the Philippines’ cybercrime and gaming regulatory rules.