Iran-linked gambling network enables $4 billion sanctions evasion, Reuters finds
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A Reuters investigation reveals that an illicit network of Iranian online gambling sites moved $4 billion out of the country, circumventing U.S. and international sanctions. The scheme exploited lax regulation of digital gaming platforms to funnel hard currency to the Iranian government and its regional proxies. The findings emerge as Western nations escalate sanctions pressure on Tehran over its nuclear ambitions and military support for Russia.
The Gambling Network
Reuters identified at least 57 gambling websites operating in Iran that processed billions in transactions over three years. The sites, based on servers in countries with weak oversight, offered poker, sports betting, and slot machines while routing payments through shell companies in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Iranian clients deposited rials and received foreign currency payouts, effectively bypassing banking restrictions.
Sanctions Evasion Method
The network exploited a gap in sanctions enforcement that does not explicitly ban gambling services. By layering transactions through dozens of intermediate accounts and using cryptocurrency mixers, the funds were obscured from financial monitors. A review of company records shows that at least $1.2 billion was channeled to entities linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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