◇ 78 Billion Won Gambling Case: Similar Ads Persist Two Months After Arrests
On August 17th, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency announced the arrest of 58 individuals, including the domestic ringleader, for providing illegal online casino games while impersonating Kangwon Land. Five of them were detained.
According to reports citing the police, the sites operated with servers based overseas, offering games in 35 languages including Korean. Domestically, they posted social media ads stealing the Kangwon Land logo to promote themselves as official sites.
The organization divided roles, such as domestic management and the collection of 'borrowed-name' bank accounts. To evade police, they cycled through over 70 such accounts, and investigations revealed approximately 40,000 domestic users.
The scale of gambling funds identified by police from October 2022 to August 2025 is approximately 78 billion won. This figure should not be interpreted as the net loss of users or the net profit of the organization. The police have also moved to seize approximately 1.5 billion won in criminal proceeds.
What is important is to distinguish between the site's operating period and the time when the Kangwon Land impersonation ads were confirmed. The fact that a site has been operating since 2022 does not automatically mean all ads since then were impersonating Kangwon Land.
However, the ads captured on the 17th and 18th show something else: the fact that the same brand-abusing advertising methods continue to be observed on social media even after a large-scale arrest announcement.
◇ Labeled as 'Sponsored': Beyond Deleting Posts, Blocking Re-exposure is Necessary
All three Facebook screens captured were labeled as 'Sponsored' under the account name. Since these are reaching users in an advertising format rather than simple organic posts, the platform's review process and post-management have become critical issues.
While the screens alone do not reveal the payer, the scale of exposure, or the advertiser's location, further investigation into Meta's ad review process is needed.
Nevertheless, if ads claiming to be 'official online' services using the names, logos, and celebrity photos of casino companies continue to repeat, simply deleting individual posts is insufficient.
It is necessary to track whether the same names and videos are re-registered under different accounts or if they reappear with changed links. This is why the advertiser's account, payment methods, and the operators of the linked sites must be tracked simultaneously.
Material on manipulated video ads released by broadcasting and communications authorities also highlights types that use the names and logos of public institutions like Kangwon Land, using phrases like 'Official Online,' 'Legally Operated,' and 'Government Certified' to appear legitimate. A system to repeatedly detect and block these impersonation phrases is required.
◇ Look at the Operator Before the Bonus: Tracking Deposit Accounts
"Up to 3 million won in first-deposit bonuses" and "500 free spins" are merely promises in an ad, not verified facts regarding payouts or withdrawals. One cannot confirm actual payout rates, usage conditions, or withdrawal feasibility from an ad screen alone.
The core of these high-bonus ads is not the size of the benefit, but who is operating the service and why they are using a casino company's name. Before verifying authenticity, entering personal information, installing files, or sending money can expose you to severe risks.
Investigations must also go beyond blocking ads and sites to track deposit accounts and fund movements. If an ad is the entrance, the account and payment method are the channels through which real money moves.
However, one should not judge illegality solely based on whether an account is held by a foreigner. Evidence of criminal connection should be based on specific transaction details, such as account lending, frequent account changes, and the rapid dispersal of funds from multiple users.
Cooperation is required between legal casino operators, industry associations, platforms, financial institutions, and law enforcement to quickly share information on impersonation ads, links, and deposit accounts. We must reduce situations where ads are deleted but the deposit channels remain, or where accounts are blocked but the same ads continue to attract new users.
◇ Kangwon Land Does Not Operate Online Gambling: Distinguishing from Official Apps
Kangwon Land does not operate online gambling sites. In its August arrest announcement, the police clarified this and stated their commitment to tracking down gambling organizations that steal the names of public enterprises.
It is important not to mistakenly believe that Kangwon Land's normal website or customer service apps are illegal. The problem lies with impersonation services that use the Kangwon Land name to lure users into depositing money and playing casino games.
Furthermore, just because an ad uses the name of Paradise, a casino for foreigners only, does not make an online gambling service targeting domestic users legal. Even if an ad displays overseas licenses or certification badges, they should not be accepted as a guarantee of legality for domestic operations or usage.
The names of Kangwon Land, the logo of Paradise, and the photos of Son Heung-min are not evidence of the advertiser's credibility. Rather, one should first check if they are using brands or figures unrelated to the actual operator.
The reality that impersonation ads continue despite dozens of arrests, reports, and warning campaigns demands the next level of response. We must implement a system that reduces ad exposure and re-registration, tracks the channels through which users send money, and responds rapidly to the impersonation of companies and celebrities.
