A prominent adult film star was arrested in Hong Kong under suspicion of advertising illegal gambling platforms.
According to The Standard, police reported that they had arrested a 29-year-old with the surname So, who is now understood to be Erena So Hoi-Lam – a Hong Kong-born adult film star who predominantly works in Japan.
The Regional Crime Unit of Kowloon West said that they had identified agents recruiting influencers, such as Hoi-Lam, to promote illegal gambling websites on their social media platforms.
The Standard noted that several promotional videos and photos appeared on the actress’s social media accounts but have now been deleted.
She was taken into custody late last week but has now been bailed while further investigations take place.
Hoi Lam is not the first adult film star to be at the centre of a controversy due to promoting gambling products.
Last year, Stake was forced to exit the UK market after Bonnie Blue appeared in a marketing video for the operator outside of Nottingham Trent University, sparking an investigation by the Gambling Commission.
Stake had been present in the UK through a white-label agreement with TGP Europe Limited, which itself exited the UK after an investigation discovered significant anti-money laundering failures.
In Hong Kong, however, gambling is strictly prohibited, and so is the promotion of the industry. As a result, the government and regulators have taken a ruthless approach in their efforts to target marketing around the sector.
Hong Kong raises World Cup alarm
The revelations surrounding Hoi-Lam are particularly concerning for authorities in Hong Kong due to the heightened concern surrounding black market gambling during the World Cup.
Last week, 19 people were arrested by the Hong Kong Police under suspicion of facilitating illegal sports betting and match fixing.
Among those arrested were Lo Kwan-yee, a former Hong Kong Footballer of the Year who played for the national team 53 times, seven current players in Hong Kong’s top divisions and two coaches.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption alleges that those arrested are part of a crime syndicate that offered sports betting on football, including World Cup matches, taking wagers totalling over HK$6m (£579,174) since it began operating three years ago.
The ICAC has also identified irregularities in several top-flight and youth football matches that it believes the syndicate influenced by bribing players to fix match results.
