A recent UN report has highlighted the Isle of Man’s role in tackling the growing threat of transnational organised crime in Southeast Asia.
The report put particular focus on gaming and gambling platforms at the centre of the issue.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, published this month, warns of an increasingly complex criminal landscape in East and Southeast Asia, with impacts spreading globally.
It urges gambling operators and regulated businesses to strengthen anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) controls.
“Information and intelligence are essential factors in identifying connections to illicit activity and bad actors,” the report states.
Powers
The Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) has enhanced its powers through new legislation to share intelligence with law enforcement and regulators domestically and internationally.
The report also highlights risks from emerging technologies, including cryptocurrencies, online marketplaces, blockchain networks, and identity laundering.
A GSC statement said: “The GSC takes information from international bodies such as UNODC very seriously and continues to work with other agencies to target transnational criminal activity in the gambling sector and beyond through a coordinated approach.”
The government maintains a “zero-tolerance attitude towards criminal activity,” with the GSC vowing to use its “regulatory authority to support law enforcement to halt those who engage in criminal activity in the island.”
The Commission added: “Serious and organised transnational crime is a global threat, and the GSC is committed to playing its part in disrupting this activity and preventing the Island and the sector from being exploited.”
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