A social media influencer in Thailand has been jailed after being found guilty of illegally promoting gambling to her followers.
As reported by Thaiger News, Narumon ‘Mind‘, aged 24, who has over 740,000 followers on Facebook, promoted a gambling site through her social media stories, while her account also featured dancing videos alongside gambling links.
The Don Mueang District Court has handed the influencer a sentence of six months, reduced to three months after she confessed to the indiscretions, with the remainder converted to a two-month detention.
Thailand’s Police Cyber Taskforce undertook investigations into her actions, and the authorities have said that they are continuing to investigate the online gambling network promoted by Narumon.
Police Major General Siriwat Deephor also warned influencers against promoting gambling content, stating that those doing so will face scrutiny by cyber police. In Thailand, almost all forms of gambling are illegal, except the national lottery and betting on horse racing at licensed tracks.
The country’s leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, has been an outspoken critic of gambling and repeatedly confirmed that reforms to bring greater regulation to Thailand will not happen while he is in office.
His leadership was cemented last week after his Bhumjaithai Party won 191 seats in Thailand’s 500-member parliament, and the subsequently formed coalition government voted to re-elect Charnvirakul.
Last year, the Don Mueang District Court was also responsible for sentencing another Thai influencer, Aspara “Earn Earn”, to three years in prison for similarly encouraging her followers to take part in online gambling.
Elsewhere in Asia, authorities in the Philippines have also continued efforts to target influencers accused of engaging with illegal gambling operators.
Earlier this month, the country’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) said it was targeting ten influencers alongside PAGCOR, the Philippines’ gaming regulator, and Digital Pinoys, a government-backed digital advocacy group.
The CICC’s latest communications follow similar warnings levied against a group of 30 influencers in November. At the time, the CICC’s Undersecretary, Renato Paraiso, said that the influencers could be charged with violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Presidential Decree No. 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties on illegal gambling, and Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code on estafa.
If prosecuted, the influencers could face fines and potential imprisonment under the Philippines’ cybercrime and gaming regulations.
This story was first published on Affiliate Leaders’ sister title, iGaming Expert.
