UK Man Sentenced in Finland after Defrauding Online Casinos

William Anthony Parker has been handed a prison sentence in Finland after stealing almost a million dollars from online casino operators. The Brit has been accused of hacking into two iGaming companies, stealing a total of $903,000.

The 34-year-old, according to a local report, exploited a security vulnerability to hack into the two casino operators and steal thousands of Euros. Because of his theft, he was found guilty of aggravated online casino fraud.

According to an article by Finnish news outlet Yle, the UK national stole the money by manipulating the results of games of chance. By leveraging a cybersecurity tool, Parker was able to manipulate the results in his favor and win huge sums.

Parker was arrested in January 2024 and initially charged with gross data breach and financial fraud. He committed the crimes between April and May 2023 in Vantaa, a city in Finland. Estimates put the damages he caused at approximately $1.4 million.

In the end, the District Court of Central Finland sentenced the man to two and a half years in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit the $903,000 he obtained unlawfully to the Finnish state.

In the meantime, the assets he possessed at the time of his arrests were frozen. This included approximately $10,000 in cash and 100 gold coins, the prosecution said.

Speaking of the prosecution, prosecutors hoped to obtain a sentence of at least three years for Parker. While he was sentenced to only two years and a half, the verdict is not final and is still subject to appeal.

Operators Are a Prime Target for Hackers

Online gambling companies have become a prime target for cybercriminals. Last year, major American operators, such as MGM Resorts and Caesars, were attacked by hacker groups in ransomware operations.

MGM, for example, suffered a devastating breach, leading to legal trouble with consumers who were unhappy to learn that their personal data was not safe with the operator.

Luckily, a major member of the Scattered Spider group, which is believed to be behind the attack, was recently arrested in Spain.

In other news, Finland is currently planning to see its proposed open gambling licensing system up and running at the start of 2027.