1,777 Youth Gambling Cases Reported During South Korea Intervention Program

SEOUL – South Korean police received 1,777 youth gambling reports during a nationwide voluntary reporting period that ended Aug. 31.

Most of those interviewed were referred to specialist services, as authorities focused on early treatment and preventing gambling-related harm from escalating into debt or other crimes.

The National Police Agency ran the program from May 18 through Aug. 31 alongside education, financial and youth-policy authorities. Of the 1,777 cases, 1,501, or 84.5%, involved youths reporting themselves, while parents or guardians accounted for the remaining 276 reports.

According to the National Police Agency results, the average age was 15.5 and the youths had been gambling for an average of 10 months. Average reported gambling activity totaled about 3 million won, or roughly $2,230.

Casino-Style Games Dominate Youth Gambling Reports

High school students accounted for 963 cases, or 54.2%, while 813 middle school students and one elementary school student were also reported. Casino-style gambling, including slots and baccarat, accounted for 95.9% of the cases identified through the program.

Police said school-based education played a significant role in encouraging young people to come forward. School police officer education and outreach was cited in 1,183 cases, or 66.6%, while internet campaigns, posters, recommendations from friends and school guidance also prompted reports.

The findings add to wider concern about youth access to online gambling. Recent research in Iceland also found significant gambling participation among teenagers, with researchers calling for stronger prevention and education efforts.

Police Refer 1,430 Youths to Treatment

Police had completed initial interviews with 1,504 of the young people by the time the results were released. Of those, 1,430, or 95.1%, were referred to specialist organizations including gambling-harm treatment and youth counseling services.

An analysis of 160 youths who completed rehabilitation found their average gambling-problem screening score declined from 4.81 before treatment to 2.22 afterward. Of 222 young people who completed treatment programs and had their cases reviewed, 166 received leniency, while 56 were charged and referred for further legal proceedings.

Authorities also identified more severe cases where gambling was associated with other harms. In Ulsan, investigators found a youth had gambled about 200 million won over two years after police responded to a report that he had assaulted his mother while demanding money.

In Seoul, police identified a group of 14 middle and high school students who allegedly turned to fraud and theft after exhausting gambling funds. The group was broken up, and its members were connected with specialist treatment services.

Illegal Sites and Lending Networks Face Scrutiny

Interviews with the youths also provided information for wider enforcement efforts. Police asked communications authorities to block or remove 464 illegal gambling websites identified during the reporting period, adding to South Korea’s continuing crackdown on illegal online gambling networks.

Five youths who had borrowed through illegal private lenders to fund gambling were referred to financial counseling services. Police are investigating allegations that lenders charged excessive interest and threatened borrowers by contacting friends and relatives about gambling debts.

The National Police Agency plans to commission research through October to assess how effectively the voluntary reporting system worked. Authorities will then decide whether to continue the program and what form any future youth gambling intervention should take.

RELATED TOPICS: Responsible Gambling