Two Asian online gambling sites shut down earlier this week. They were 138.com and Mansion88. The former closed all its online operations, while the latter closed its operations in Malaysia and Cambodia.
Some sportsbook pay per head news sites reported earlier this month that 138.com was closing down. The website told its customers that they could withdraw their funds. Also, it told its suppliers that it would no longer require their services. However, it suddenly stopped its operations.
Many betting software suppliers are speculating about why 138.com suddenly shut down. Some affiliates claimed that the shut down was only temporary because its call center in the Philippines had to close due to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country. However, that was unlikely because the entire operations shut down.
Asian Online Gambling Sites Closed Down
Some Sportsbook Pay Per Head King sources stated that 138.com shut down because its parent company, Suncity Group, was pressured by shareholders to divest its online gambling operations. Suncity Group is one of the top junket operators in Asia.
138.com started as 138SunGame before it rebranded in 2013. It catered to Chinese ex-pats who want to gamble online. Its operations are based on the Isle of Man. In 2019, Chinese state media targeted the company for its online gambling operations. The press claimed it was targeting players from the mainland, where gambling was illegal.
Suncity insisted that all its gambling activities were legal. However, it operated a live proxy betting operation in the Philippines. The activity was illegal under Macau laws.
In other Asian online casino news, M88 closed its operations in Malaysia and Cambodia. The gambling company announced it would discontinue its services in the two countries starting May 25. Players with existing funds can still claim them by May 31.