Earlier this month,스포츠토토 Gwangju terminated the contract with defender A. This is because he himself admitted to doing private Toto three years ago. Gwangju heard this as a tip, and A also admitted it. Gwangju said, “I admitted that in 2020, I indirectly conducted private Toto through a third party.” It was when A was in Jeju three years ago. Gwangju explained, “I said that I had never played Toto after the transfer to Gwangju, but as it was already confirmed that I had committed a crime, I decided to terminate the contract immediately.”
Private sports betting is, of course, illegal. Even ‘legal’ Sports Toto issued by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation is subject to criminal punishment if players, coaches, and referees of the issued sport purchase it.
What kind of gamble did A play? According to his remarks, it is “private Toto”. Gwangju said, “There was no need to ask more about what kind of gambling they participated in specifically.” So A’s contract with Gwangju was terminated. He lost his job as a professional player. But is this really enough?
What sport and which league did A bet on? Is there any possibility that he played soccer Toto? If he played soccer toto, would he only play overseas. Wouldn’t he have played the K-League? If A bets on the K League as well, the problem becomes enormous. It is because he cannot ignore the probability that he has been involved in match fixing. We already know how devastating the effects of match-fixing are.
Regarding the way A participated in private Toto, he said that it was an indirect bet through a third party. Who is the third party, and if through the third party, are there any other club players who participated in illegal Toto like A? Are illegal online sites the only places where illegal Toto was conducted? Is there really no possibility that it happened in an offline gambling house?
The reporter received shocking information from several sources. It was the content that K-League players were gambling illegally for a large amount like A at Hold’em Pub. There was also a reporter who told us the location of the Hold’em Pub and the name of the Hold’em Pub. I also heard the real names of active professional players who were known among players to be gambling illegally there. These are players in their mid-to-late 20s belonging to several clubs. The person who reported A’s participation in private Toto to Gwangju is also known to be a former player who previously played in Gwangju and K3. If all of this is true, wouldn’t it be difficult to rule out the possibility that multiple K-leagues made illegal bets on soccer online or offline, especially for the Korean K-League, through agents who were former soccer players.
A thorough internal investigation of the soccer world and a strong investigation by the judicial authorities are needed. The Professional Football Federation and the Korea Football Association should not let go, saying, “There is no way to do anything because the contract has been terminated.” If the government only talks about regulations but does not implement strong measures, it is difficult to avoid criticism for cutting its tail. It can be seen as an attitude of trying to cover up match-fixing, far from wanting it outright.
Federations and associations should first investigate players whose names are mentioned as being involved in illegal Toto like A. They are active K-leagues, so federations, associations, and clubs can investigate. Federations and associations must report this fact to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism right away. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to request a thorough and powerful investigation from the judicial authorities right now. If federations, associations, clubs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism remain silent, they are all accomplices in concealing and overlooking the highly probable possibility of match fixing.