Police to launch crackdown on youth gambling

The Korean National Police Agency (NPA) announced plans to launch a crackdown on youth gambling starting in May, according to a report the agency released on Friday, May 3, 2024. The report found that the number of juvenile offenders investigated for gambling last year surged to 171, up from the 74 cases reported in 2022¹.

The average age of these offenders was 16.1, and the report described a consistent decline in the average age of those caught gambling over the past five years. High school students accounted for a larger portion of offenders than middle school students¹.

Cyber gambling was the most prevalent form among youth, constituting 84.8 percent of cases, with baccarat and sports betting identified as the most common games because they offer a quick turnaround. PC rooms were the primary venue, with 56.7 percent of incidents occurring in such establishments¹.

The report also noted secondary crimes linked to youth gambling, including school violence, internet fraud and proxy deposits. Proxy deposits involve the circulation of funds at high interest rates to obtain quick cash, often targeting vulnerable youth¹.

NPA Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun said:

Alongside the crackdown, educational materials will be developed and distributed to raise awareness among students, parents and educators¹.

Gambling is illegal in Korea, and the report frames youth participation as a crime issue as well as a welfare one¹. The background to that legal position is set out in Why Gambling Is So Restricted in South Korea, and the practical position for adults is covered in Can I Gamble in South Korea?.

What it means for players

For anyone under 18 in South Korea, the activity described in the report is illegal, and the NPA has said it will pursue offenders and work to prevent repeat offending¹. The report points to PC rooms and online games such as baccarat and sports betting as the main routes, so venues that host young people face closer attention from May¹.

For parents and educators, the agency says materials will be distributed to help them recognize the issue¹. General guidance on warning signs and how to talk to children is set out in Young People and Gambling: Risks, Warning Signs and Talking to Your Children, and the wider support landscape across the region is covered in Safer Gambling in Asia.

For adults who gamble legally in Korea, the report does not describe any change to the rules that apply to them. It concerns juvenile offenders only¹. The report does not state whether the crackdown will affect licensed adult operators, and no such detail has been reported¹.

The report links youth gambling to debt-like arrangements, including proxy deposits at high interest rates¹. Where that leads for individuals and families is covered in Gambling and Debt, and the clinical definition of gambling disorder is explained in What Is Gambling Disorder?. Signs that gambling has become harmful are set out in Signs of a Gambling Problem.

What happens next

The crackdown is scheduled to start in May 2024¹. Educational materials for students, parents and educators are to be developed and distributed, but the report gives no date for that distribution and no details of what the materials will contain¹. The NPA has not said how long the crackdown will run, how many officers will be involved, or what penalties young offenders will face, and none of those details have been reported¹.