South Korean police detained 2,925 people, among them 1,035 teenagers, during a six-month crackdown on online gambling aimed at adolescents, the National Office of Investigation said on Thursday, April 251. The operation ran from Sept. 25 to March 311.
Of those caught, 566 teenagers were referred to counseling centers, 75 adults were formally arrested, and 61.9 billion won ($44.9 million) in criminal proceeds was confiscated1. Twelve of the teenagers were accused of operating online gambling sites1.
By school level, those caught included 798 high school students, 228 middle school students, seven university students and two elementary school pupils1. The youngest was a nine-year-old who bet 10,000 won1. Police said many middle and high school students reached gambling sites through invitations from friends, and were mostly drawn in through smartphone messages and online and social media ads1.
By game type, 434 teenagers, or 41.9 percent of the total, said they played baccarat, followed by sports gambling at 19.8 percent, casino at 17.1 percent, and powerball or slot machines at 14.7 percent1.
Police pointed to the simple registration process, which lets teenagers charge gambling funds using only a bank account in their own name, as one reason online gambling is catching on among teenagers, along with a mistaken view of gambling as a game1.
"Police plan to resume the six-month crackdown starting in May, and will clamp down on illegal harmful content online and expand training to prevent gambling-related crimes."
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| People caught | 2,925 |
| Teenagers caught | 1,035 |
| Teenagers referred to counseling | 566 |
| Adults formally arrested | 75 |
| Criminal proceeds confiscated | 61.9 billion won ($44.9 million) |
| Crackdown period | Sept. 25 to March 31 |
What it means for players
The figures cover enforcement against people in South Korea, including minors, and the confiscation of proceeds rather than any change to the law. For teenagers and their families, the reported cases show that play on online gambling sites can lead to police contact and referral to counseling, and that 12 minors face accusations of running sites rather than only betting on them1. The reported ages, down to a nine-year-old, and the finding that most were drawn in through messages and ads, sit alongside the risks covered in our guide to young people and gambling1.
For adults, the 75 formal arrests and the confiscation total indicate that police treated some cases as criminal rather than administrative1. The reported registration route, where a bank account in the player's own name is enough to load funds, is the practical detail police highlighted, and it applies to accounts held by minors as well1. Our pages on enforcement against players and on crackdowns on offshore hubs set out how similar operations have worked elsewhere in Asia.
What happens next
Police said they will resume the six-month crackdown starting in May, target illegal harmful content online, and expand training to prevent gambling-related crimes1. No further dates or targets beyond that have been reported1.
