Martin: Recent Case Highlights the Reach of Gambling Underworld
The rapid growth of legal sports gambling, now frequently advertised on television, has not stopped the darker, illegal side of the industry from thriving. This was starkly illustrated in a Calgary courtroom this week.
Case Overview
A woman from Calgary pleaded guilty to criminal harassment of a man who suffered consequences simply for vouching for a friend involved in illegal sports betting. Under a court order protecting his identity, the victim cannot be named.
Incident Details
The victim referred a friend, Kyung Shin, to Chantelle But to help Shin place bets illegally on sporting events. Unfortunately, the situation escalated as Shin accumulated losses totaling $110,000 to contacts in the gambling underworld connected to But, before abruptly disappearing.
"The annoying proliferation of legal sports gambling, which seems to be the only thing advertised on television these days, hasn’t stopped the seedy and illegal underbelly of the practice from continuing to occur."
This case is a stark reminder that despite the visibility of legal gambling, illegal gambling networks remain active and impactful.
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Author’s summary: The case reveals how illegal gambling networks continue to operate and affect innocent people, despite widespread legal gambling advertising.