The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has released a report highlighting the impact of gambling on the economy, pointing to the role of casinos and cryptocurrency users in fostering illegal banking infrastructure in Asian countries. The report suggests that the motivation behind this development is the desire of unscrupulous players and operators to legitimize illicit income.
According to the UN, in 2022 alone, there were 340 licensed and unlicensed gambling establishments operating in Southeast Asia, with many subsequently transitioning to online casinos. Analysts predict that by 2030, the global official online gambling market will exceed $205 billion, with a significant portion originating from the Asia-Pacific region.
Jeremy Douglas, UN Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that online casinos have become conduits for money laundering, with large criminal groups channeling substantial amounts through them. Illicitly, scammers earned between $7.5 and $12.5 billion on the illegal market.