Photo: IC

The cybersecurity departments of China's public security authority on Monday unveiled 10 typical cases involving their crackdown on illegal online football betting and other gambling-­related offenses, including setting up illegal betting markets and providing illegal fund ­settlement services for overseas football gambling platforms during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

In three cases, the cybersecurity police from Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province, Ezhou in Central China's Hubei Province, and Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, respectively dismantled criminal groups that acted as agents for overseas gambling websites, set up illegal betting markets for World Cup football matches, organized Chinese domestic internet users to place bets, and profited from the activities, the cybersecurity bureau of the Ministry of Public Security announced in a statement on Monday. 

The three cases resulted in the arrest of 29, six and four suspects, respectively. All the 39 suspects were either criminally detained or placed under administrative detention in accordance with the law. 

In another case, the cybersecurity police in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi Province solved a case involving a man surnamed Liang who had downloaded an illegal online gambling platform and participated in online football betting activities, placing a total of 133 bets. After withdrawing his initial funds and winnings, Liang continued to use the gambling proceeds to participate in online card games on the same platform, placing a total of 379 bets.

In addition, Liang provided gambling-related assistance by placing bets on behalf of others on six occasions. 

At present, local public security authorities have imposed administrative penalties on Liang in accordance with the law. 

Meanwhile, cybersecurity police in Nanchong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, busted a criminal group that provided illegal fund settlement services to overseas football gambling platforms in exchange for illicit profits. 

The authorities dismantled three criminal operation sites, arrested 16 suspects, and seized 12 computers and 43 mobile phones used in the crimes at the scene. At present, all the suspects have been placed under criminal detention in accordance with the law. 

In three other cases, the cybersecurity police from Chenzhou in Central China's Hunan Province, Liangshan in Sichuan Province, and Xining in Northwest China's Qinghai Province, respectively busted criminal groups that illegally operated betting markets for World Cup football matches, organized participants to place bets, and used higher-level "agents" to place bets on overseas gambling websites, thereby obtaining illegal profits. 

The three cases resulted in the arrest of 12 suspects who have been placed under criminal detention in accordance with the law. 

In two separate cases in Yueyang, Hunan Province, and Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, cybersecurity police busted two illegal World Cup football betting rings, with 10 suspects arrested and placed under criminal detention.