The Korea Racing Authority (KRA) said on March 2, 2024 that it is operating an inspection team for the pilot online betting service it began last December, and that it has activated a special inspection unit against imitation activity that could undermine the purpose of introducing online betting sales1.
The KRA said the pilot inspection team was set up to review the progress of the online sales pilot and to discuss development directions ahead of full operations1. A meeting of that team was held last month at LetsRun Park Seoul in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and was attended by seven committee members, including four outside experts: Yoo Han-beom, co-representative of Transparency International Korea, and Cho Yoon-oh, a member of the National Gambling Control Commission1.
The KRA said it detected illegal activity that uses information from legal online horse racing, including unauthorized streaming of race video and recruitment of franchisees for new types of illegal horse racing rooms1. The meeting focused on the need for preemptive responses to such imitation activity and on legal measures1.
Kim Jong-cheol, head of the KRA's customer service division, said:
"온라인 마권 발매 도입 취지를 훼손할 수 있는 유사 행위 행태가 포착됨에 따라 특별점검반을 가동 중이며 유관기관과 긴밀한 협력 관계를 통해 단속을 강화, 국민들을 불법 경마로부터 보호하는 데 최선을 다할 것"
In English, that statement says a special inspection unit is running because imitation behavior that could undermine the purpose of introducing online betting sales has been detected, that enforcement will be strengthened through close cooperation with related agencies, and that the KRA will do its best to protect the public from illegal horse racing1.
The report did not give figures for how many imitation sites or operators were found, how many people were involved, or what penalties apply. It also did not name any specific illegal operator or streaming service. Those details have not been reported1.
What it means for players
South Korea's legal horse racing betting runs through the KRA, and the online sales channel is still a pilot that began last December rather than a fully launched service1. The activity the KRA flagged involves unauthorized race video streaming and recruitment of franchisees for new illegal horse racing rooms, which means betting offers that look connected to the official online product may not be1.
For locals, expats and visitors in South Korea, the practical point is that a site or channel presenting itself as tied to legal online horse racing is not necessarily authorized. The KRA has not published a list of the imitation operators it detected, so players cannot check a specific name against an official warning from this announcement1. General background on how illegal sites operate in the market is covered in Gambling Scams and Illegal Sites in South Korea, and the legal channel is described in Betting on Horse Racing in South Korea and Can I Gamble in South Korea?.
What happens next
The KRA said it will continue the special inspection unit and strengthen enforcement with related agencies1. The pilot inspection team will keep reviewing the online sales pilot and discuss development directions ahead of full operations1. No date has been reported for when the pilot ends or when full online sales begin, and no timeline has been given for enforcement results1.
Sources1 sources
- 한국마사회, 온라인 발매 시범운영 점검단 운영 | 연합뉴스, yna.co.kr
