Moroccan police arrest five foreigners for hacking betting apps

Five foreign nationals believed to be part of a criminal network that hacked online betting apps were arrested by Moroccan security services working with the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), as reported by L’Economiste on November 16th.

The group has allegedly accessed digital betting apps with high-level technical tactics, hacking robust security systems and transferring the funds to personal bank accounts located in Morocco and abroad.

The group was busted by the judicial police working with cybercrime units, who shut down the network and seized devices suspected of hacking.

The authorities are reportedly working to understand the extent of the network and the number of victims affected in Morocco and abroad. Meanwhile, the suspects are in custody and awaiting a thorough investigation into the matter by a prosecutor.

The crackdown is part of a broader effort by Moroccan security services to tackle cybercrime and fraud targeting financial and commercial digital platforms.

As part of Morocco’s 2030 vision, Rabat announced that it will modernise its intelligence services for all emerging cyber threats. Citing the nature of modern terrorism, Morocco has taken steps and reforms to enhance its threat-preparedness, particularly in the digital landscape.

The growing sophistication of cyber-fraud in Morocco demonstrates why intelligence agencies are expanding their focus beyond counterterrorism. In August, a mother-daughter duo used social media to lure victims, offering fake investment opportunities through a fictitious company. The operation had raised about 1.8 million dirhams ($190,000).

In July, a string of cyberattacks targeted important Moroccan government ministries and revealed transactions totalling hundreds of millions of dirhams, with third parties acting as proxies to buy and sell properties for ministers.

In early August, cyberattacks on the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and other institutions leaked sensitive data on social media, which the government claimed was because of Morocco’s diplomatic gains in the Sahara.

Morocco’s strategy to adapt intelligence operations for upcoming technological shifts is crucial, as AI and quantum computing pose risks to encryption and the very foundations of trust. Algeria has recently emphasised at the UN that states must have equal access to AI technology as it is a geostrategic asset — one that not only improves cyber resilience but guards data and strengthens innovation.

L’Economiste, Maghrebi.org