Taiwan probes website firm over poll gambling claim
Friday, 13 January 2012
TAIPEI, Jan 12 (AFP): Taiwanese police said Thursday they were probing an Internet firm for allegedly violating election law by running a popular online game predicting the outcome of Saturday's presidential vote.
The Internet gaming firm Fun Town was forced to shut down "The People's Big Prediction" game last week for alleged illegal gambling and manipulation of the election outcome, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said.
In an indication of the site's popularity, it received more than one million bets in the five days of its operation, according to police.
Separately, at least 14 people have been arrested for allegedly gambling on the outcome of the vote as of late December, while a ring had collected more than Tw$74 million ($2.47 million) in bets, according to prosecutors.
President Ma Ying-jeou is locked in a tight race with the opposition's Tsai Ing-wen, while independent James Soong is trailing far behind.
The Internet gaming firm Fun Town was forced to shut down "The People's Big Prediction" game last week for alleged illegal gambling and manipulation of the election outcome, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said.
In an indication of the site's popularity, it received more than one million bets in the five days of its operation, according to police.
Separately, at least 14 people have been arrested for allegedly gambling on the outcome of the vote as of late December, while a ring had collected more than Tw$74 million ($2.47 million) in bets, according to prosecutors.
President Ma Ying-jeou is locked in a tight race with the opposition's Tsai Ing-wen, while independent James Soong is trailing far behind.