Police on Monday launched their World Cup 2014 Gambling Prevention and Suppression Centre, aimed at the expected boom in illegal betting on the tournament that kicks off early Friday morning in Brazil.
The Maracana stadium is seen behind the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2014. The Word Cup soccer tournament is set to begin in just a few days, with the opening match on June 12 and Maracana stadium will host the World Cup Final match on July 13. (AP photo)
Police will focus on stopping online gambling, suspend licences of businesses that allow gambling n their premisees, and apprehending loan sharks and debt collectors involved in sports betting, deputy national police chief and head of the project Aek Angsananon said.
Pol Gen Aek stressed that police caught wagering on the games will also be punished. Officials who turn a blind eye will also be dealt with.
The operation centre has enlisted the help of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and the Technology Crime Suppression Division, he said.
Gambling on football matches is expected to be the largest portion of overall spending by people following the football tournament.
Economists at the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce estimated that 69.2 billion baht will be spent by peoplewatching the games, and that 43.5 billion baht of that will go to gambling on the games, with 25.7 billion on food, partying and items such as new TV sets and souvenirs.
While football gambling is a great concern to many people, another survey showed that the great majority of Thai teenagers have no intention to bet on the World Cup. However, 12% of them do plan to place wagers, and more are thinking about it, according to a survey by the Centre for Gambling Studies of Chulalongkorn University.
Centre director Nualnoi Treerat said the survey indicated that of those who intend to bet on the football tournament 21% would bet directly with bookies, 16% via a website and 12% through a middleman.
The centre surveyed 3,050 students from high schools and vocational schools during May 30 to June 8 in eight provinces -- Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Songkhla and Chon Buri.
He said, however, that 21% of respondents said they were still not certain whether they would bet on the games or not.
About half of the students surveyed thought it appropriate to bet with friends, without money changing hands, while 21% said cash wagers would add colour to the matches, and 20% said it was better to bet via a website.