South Korea's National Police Agency (NPA) said 2,925 people were caught during a six-month crackdown on online gambling targeting adolescents that ran from Sept. 25, 2023 to March 31, 2024, according to the National Office of Investigation1. Of those, 1,035, or 35.4 percent, were teenagers1.
The teenage offenders were mostly school students: 798 high school students, 228 middle school students and seven university students1. Two elementary school students were also caught, the youngest a 9-year-old who bet 10,000 won1. Almost all of the teenagers, 1,012 or 97.8 percent, were caught taking part in gambling, while 12 were found to be operating gambling websites1.
Police referred 566 of the 1,035 teenagers to specialized counseling centers, with the consent of the individuals involved and their parents1. Seventy-five adults were imprisoned, and criminal proceeds totaling 61.9 billion won ($45 million) were confiscated during the crackdown1. More than 1,000 financial accounts under adolescents' names were used to manage gambling funds and related activities1.
On how teenagers reach the sites, police said middle and high school students mainly accessed them through invitations from friends, with smartphone messages, online ads and social media promotions also playing a significant role1. Police said simple registration processes, such as signing up with bank accounts in their own names or with gift vouchers, contributed to teenagers gambling1. By game type, 41.9 percent of the teenagers said they played baccarat, followed by sports gambling at 19.8 percent, casino games at 17.1 percent and powerball or slot machines at 14.7 percent1.
In a separate case during the crackdown, the Daejeon National Police Agency's cyberinvestigation team arrested eight operators of gambling sites who manipulated programs to determine wins and losses in the shortest amount of time, using rules like odd-even, ladder and penalty kicks1. Six of those individuals were arrested and police found 33 juvenile gamblers1.
"Given the concerns of youth gambling, we will rigorously enforce the law against both gamblers and operators of gambling sites."
What it means for players
The figures cover people caught in South Korea, where online gambling is illegal, so the practical effect falls on anyone gambling online there, including locals, expats and visitors using sites based outside the country. The NPA's count separates players from operators: 12 of the teenagers caught were running gambling websites, and the Daejeon case involved site operators accused of rigging outcomes1. Police also flagged the use of adolescents' bank accounts and gift vouchers to move gambling money, which means accounts in young people's names can become part of an investigation1. For background on how enforcement has fallen on players across the region, see Have Players Been Arrested for Online Gambling in Asia? Cases by Jurisdiction and Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions. Parents and young people looking at the risks and warning signs can read Young People and Gambling and Signs of a Gambling Problem.
What happens next
Police plan to resume the six-month crackdown on online gambling targeting teenagers starting in May1.
Sources1 sources
- Youth cybergambling soars: 1 in 3 offenders are teens - The Korea Times, koreatimes.co.kr
