An online gambling ring that handled nearly $26m in bets has been brought to heel by authorities in Vietnam.

On Tuesday, Vietnamese media reported that police in the central region of the country had arrested at least 10 individuals suspected of involvement in an online operation offering sports betting and other forms of illegal gambling to hundreds of local customers.

According to police, the gambling operation had been in business since at least July, during which time it attracted hundreds of clients across several provinces who wagered a combined VND600b (US$25.7m). These wagers were placed via several password-protected websites, including one identified as affiliated with Bóng88, before the authorities brought their hammer down.

Bóng88, which some reports identified as being based in the US but which is actually licensed by the Philippines’ First Cagayan Leisure & Resort Corporation, is a popular wagering choice with Vietnamese gamblers, having been cited in numerous Vietnamese police actions over the years.