The Criminal Court of Appeal in Thailand recently issued a final judgment on the case of overpriced lottery sales by Hongtong Lottery Online Co., Ltd. and its executive Grakanok, upholding the original sentence: a fine of 10,000 Thai Baht for the company and one year imprisonment for the director, with no suspension of the sentence. The case originated from the two individuals operating a direct sales business without registration and selling lottery tickets at prices higher than those set by the government, violating the Direct Sales Act, the Lottery Office Act, and the Criminal Code. In plain terms, it's like the official price is 80, you sell for 100, and also engage in direct sales, directly violating three red lines. During the appeal, the defendants did not appear in court, and the court made a judgment in absentia according to the law. Interested in the enforcement scale of gambling and lottery regulation in Southeast Asia? Follow regional judicial dynamics continuously on PASA's official website.
Case details: Overpricing + unlicensed direct sales, hitting three legal red lines
Case number Black Case A.191/2566 was prosecuted by the Economic and Resources Prosecution Department, with key accusations including:
Overpriced lottery sales: Selling lottery tickets at prices higher than those set by the government
Unlicensed direct sales: Operating a direct sales business without registration
Legal basis: Violation of the Direct Sales and Direct Sales Market Act (amended 2002/2017), the Lottery Office Act (amended 1974/2019), and Articles 83, 91 of the Criminal Code
The defendants denied the charges.
Judicial process: Conviction in the first instance, absence upheld in the second instance
First instance judgment: Company fined 10,000 Thai Baht, executive sentenced to one year imprisonment, no suspension of sentence
Appeal request: Defendants requested leniency and suspension of sentence, executive was released on bail
Twists in the second instance: Court session on January 12, 2026, the executive did not appear, the court suspected evasion, fined the guarantor, and rescheduled the court session
Final judgment: Only the lawyer appeared in court, the court made a judgment in absentia according to the Criminal Procedure Code, maintaining the original penalties and fines
The court stated that it will continue to monitor the enforcement to ensure that the punishment is implemented.
Case warning: Lottery sales are no small matter, compliance red lines must not be crossed
This case sends a clear signal:
Pricing red line: Government pricing cannot be breached, overpricing is illegal
Channel red line: Lottery sales must be legally registered, direct sales mode is not exempt
Procedural red line: Absence from trial does not mean escape, legal proceedings can continue
For lottery vendors, this is a vivid lesson in compliance—whether online or offline, compliant operation is the baseline for survival.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
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