Reports from local press show the centre had sent hundreds of thousands of text messages in a year, using a GSM SMS blaster device to promote the service and lure players.

The Sun Daily quotes Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim as having said: "They had turned the rented apartment into their office and ‘promotion centre’ for about a year.

"Investigations show they had over 20,000 clients and received over RM120,000 daily from them. The cash is transacted via wire or bank transfers and this is why we found no money at the place."

Mazlan said the customer service staff managed clients through text messages. The suspects used this line of communication to instruct players on how to deposit cash to purchase credit and play.

"They used both local and Chinese bank accounts to receive payments and also used the same method to pay out winnings," Mazlan explained.

"We are also looking for the operator of the website and are investigating how the syndicate had obtained the data of telephone numbers in their possession."