Identity verification firm Sumsub reported that iGaming fraud in the Asia-Pacific region nearly halved between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026, even as selfie fraud, deepfakes, and post-onboarding threats remained the region’s defining risks, according to its iGaming Fraud Report 2026.
The report, based on an analysis of more than 3 million fraud attempts across global iGaming verifications between 2024 and the first quarter of 2026, found that APAC’s fraud rate dropped from 3.49 percent in 2024 to 3.26 percent in 2025, then to 1.92 percent in the first quarter of 2026.
Sumsub described APAC as one of the few regions showing a genuine downward trend, though it noted the level still sits above the global average of 1.53 percent.
Deepfakes dominate the regional fraud mix
Despite the decline, the composition of fraud in APAC continued to skew toward sophisticated identity attacks. Selfie fraud and deepfakes accounted for about 66.15 percent of all fraud detected in the region in the first quarter of 2026, with forged identity documents making up 17.91 percent and other categories 15.94 percent.
“Selfie fraud and deepfakes in APAC have been a story for a while, and the trend shows no sign of slowing,” the report stated, adding that professional fraud syndicates in the region “are among the most adept at making synthetic video pass a one-camera check.”
The regional country ranking also shifted. Cambodia led with a fraud rate of 6.8 percent, followed by American Samoa at 6.3 percent, Singapore at 4.8 percent, the Republic of Korea at 3.0 percent, and Bangladesh at 2.8 percent. Indonesia, which had led at around 8 percent in 2024 and 2025, fell to 2.7 percent and dropped out of the top five. Japan, previously almost fraud-free, rose to tie Bangladesh at 2.8 percent, while Korea has drifted upward since the first quarter of 2025.
Risk concentrates after onboarding
Sumsub linked the falling regional rate to the limited pool of regulated operators. In most of APAC, iGaming and gambling are largely prohibited, with only the Philippines, Australia, Macau, and New Zealand permitting more than one type of activity, according to Penny Chai, vice president of business development, APAC, at Sumsub.
Chai said falling fraud rates reflect “the small cohort of regulated operations pulling the average down,” while most operators run with minimal controls. She added that fraudsters increasingly aim to pass onboarding before acting, noting that in Sumsub’s long-standing observations, 76 percent of all fraud occurs past the know-your-customer stage.
