Korean Scandal: Filipinas involved in illegal gambling

I wouldn’t really want to post this news of a Korean scandal involving Filipinas, but let it be a reminder to everyone living in South Korea. Every money making activity in Korea should be reported to the proper government agency. If you run a business in Korea, make sure it’s registered with the tax office. If you run a tutorial service, make sure you’re registered with the education department. Now, if you run a gambling business online… that’s another matter.

On May 22nd, about 29 Filipinas living in South Korea have been placed under investigation for running an illegal gambling activity from June 2012 to April 2013. They conduct their gambling operations through Facebook. Betters choose a “lotto” number and pay for their bet. According to the news, about 3,915 to 7,830 people participated in each draw. The prizes range from 46,980,000 won to 60 million won. It is estimated that the total money involved amounted to 1.8 billion won to 2.4 billion won. That is almost 2.3 million US dollars!
“Lotto” is not the only illegal gaming I’ve seen on Facebook done by Filipinos here in Korea. Some sell bets for gadgets like iPad or expensive cellphones. Engaging in this kind of gaming may be fun, but remember that it’s also illegal. It would be better to just save your money than lose in gambling.
UPDATE: Here’s a link to video shown on KBS news. Foreign married women gambling through Facebook