South Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said a notice designating hold'em pubs and hold'em cafes, and other venues that offer gambling and games that encourage speculative behavior, as businesses where youth entry and employment are banned was enacted and took effect on May 17, 20241.
The notice covers venues that provide casino-style games defined under the Tourism Promotion Act, including hold'em, blackjack and baccarat, as well as games imitating horse racing, bicycle racing and motorboat racing regulated under the Korea Racing Authority Act and the bicycle and motorboat racing acts1. Hold'em pubs are described as ordinary restaurants where people drink alcohol while playing card games1.
The ministry said the restriction applies regardless of whether the venue exchanges game chips for cash or goods, pays out prize money or offers giveaways1. It also said that even if a venue holds a business license for a category that permits youth entry, the notice applies if it runs speculative games or a gambling business1.
"홀덤펍 등 도박 및 사행심 조장 게임 제공업소를 청소년 출입·고용금지업소로 결정하는 고시가 17일 제정·시행됐다"
The ministry said the issue had been raised because such venues are registered or reported as restaurants, where minors could enter freely, and that protecting young people from gambling was needed1. It said it will work with local governments, police and the private Youth Harmful Environment Monitoring Group to check whether gambling and speculative game businesses violate the Youth Protection Act during joint inspections of harmful environments for young people1.
On prevention, the ministry said it introduced a cyber gambling addiction diagnostic survey for first-year middle school and first-year high school students last year and expanded it this year to include fourth-grade elementary students1. Young people classified as at risk are referred for counseling at youth counseling and welfare centers or the Korea Center on Gambling Problems, and residential treatment programs at the National Youth Internet Dream Village are to be supported in May and November this year1. The ministry also said it is working with internet platform companies to remove online gambling promotional material1.
Vice Minister Shin Young-sook said gambling experience among young people has recently increased, centered on online channels, requiring active prevention, and that the ministry will carefully work to protect young people from illegal speculative activity1.
What it means for players
For anyone running or visiting a hold'em pub or hold'em cafe in South Korea, the venue is now classed as off limits to minors for both entry and employment, whatever its food business license says1. The rule applies whether or not the venue cashes out chips, swaps them for goods, pays prizes or hands out giveaways1. Venues that offer hold'em, blackjack, baccarat or imitations of horse, bicycle and motorboat racing fall under the notice1. The reporting does not state penalties for venues or for minors, and no enforcement figures have been reported. General background on the country's rules is in Can I Gamble in South Korea? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
The ministry said it will conduct joint inspections with local governments, police and the Youth Harmful Environment Monitoring Group to check compliance with the Youth Protection Act at gambling and speculative game businesses1. Residential treatment programs at the National Youth Internet Dream Village are to be supported in May and November this year1.
Sources1 sources
- 오늘부터 홀덤펍과 홀덤카페에 청소년 출입·고용 금지된다 | 연합뉴스, yna.co.kr
