Korean Police Bust 4,700 Minors for Online Gambling
Authorities have reported identifying over 4,700 minors engaged in online gambling activities within the past year.
Teen gambling has been a pervasive issue in South Korea.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Korean National Police have found 4,715 minors below the age of 19 involved in online gambling in a recent crackdown conducted between September 2023 and October 2024. The minors represent 47.2% of all age groups caught in the crackdown.
The police campaign initially targeted illegal operators and high-stakes gamblers but was expanded to include minors last year in response to escalating juvenile gambling issues.
The enforcement drive revealed a staggering 2,784% increase in identified underage gamblers, rising from 162 cases in the previous year. Seventeen-year-olds topped the list at 1,763, followed by 16-year-olds at 1,241 and 15-year-olds at 560.
Online casino games were the most popular form of gambling among the teens, constituting 82.6% of all underage gambling cases.
The total bets added up to 3.7 billion won (USD 2.64 million), with an average of 780,000 won per gambler.
However, the police stated that no minors were arrested during the operation. Instead, 1,733 of the 4,715 underage violators were directed to professional counseling services.
The agency also confirmed that it will extend its special crackdown for an additional year due to persistent underage gambling concerns.
More Regulation News
South Korea Grapples with Teen Gambling Issue
Teen gambling has been a pervasive issue in South Korea. In April this year, the country's National Office of Investigation reported that 2,925 teens had been implicated in illegal gambling activities during a targeted crackdown that spanned 6 months. Among the apprehended, 566 teenagers were directed to counseling centers.
Last month, a report revealed an increase in the number of teens seeking counseling for gambling addiction. The figure grew from 1,286 in 2020 to 2,665 by the end of August 2023. Four years ago, high school students, typically between 17 and 19 years old, made up 80.5 percent of teens receiving treatment. However, this has now dropped to 55 percent, while middle school students aged 14 to 16 have seen a worrying rise.
Although increased help-seeking behavior among teens indicates progress, gambling prevalence remains a significant concern.
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