On Friday, Asian news agency Yonhap reported that Chinese authorities had arrested 14 South Koreans on Wednesday for allegedly trying to lure Chinese citizens into foreigner-only casinos in Korea. The charges include violations of foreign currency laws and attracting Chinese citizens to casinos according to an anonymous source at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing.

Earlier this year, a deputy director at China’s Ministry of Public Security, Hua Jingfeng announced that authorities would pursue and prosecute operators from other countries who have offices in China that “attract and recruit Chinese citizens”.

The Yonhap agency report mentions workers at travel agencies in China being among those arrested. Also arrested were employees of two of South Korea’s  largest casino operators; Paradise Company and Grand Korea Leisure Company.

With the government’s continued crackdown on graft and corruption drawing players aware from Macau, gamblers have begun to travel more frequently to neighboring and nearby countries such as South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Gambling is illegal in China except for the special administrative district of Macau which includes the Cotai Strip.