South Korea witnesses a near-doubling of gambling addiction cases over a span of four years
South Korea is grappling with an increase in gambling addiction among teenagers, a problem that has gained attention due to the rise of illegal online gambling and insufficient focus in national policy evaluations.
According to reports, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the problem, as young people spent more time online and on social media, where gambling sites are prevalent. Anonymous police officers from the Cyber Team, Gyeonggi Bukbu Police, Korea JoongAng Daily, stated that gambling sites actively recruit young people and consider them potential customers.
The number of problem gamblers treated in South Korea increased by 91.2% from 2018 to 2022, according to the national health insurance service. The age group with the most problem gamblers was people in their 30s, followed by patients in their 20s. However, the increase among teenagers was 106.5%, making this the age group with the highest increase.
In response, the government is taking steps to address the issue. Members of Parliament, such as Jun Hye-sook from the Democratic Party of Korea, have called for increased budgets for gambling prevention and awareness. Jun Hye-sook also emphasized the need for the government to focus more on preventing gambling addiction and educating youth about the risks.
The government's strategies include freezing payment accounts used in gambling-related crimes, rapid blocking of illegal gambling websites, and offering cash rewards for tip-offs. They are also introducing leniency for criminal informants, criminalizing online gambling ads, and creating a specific fund for addiction prevention and recovery.
In 2024, funds allocated for addiction prevention and healing increased slightly to approximately KRW 24.56 billion (around $18-20 million USD), a 3% increase from 2023 levels. Efforts to crack down on illegal gambling sites have also intensified, with a tripling in monitoring activities from 298 cases in 2023 to 909 in 2024.
From a compliance perspective, the government is enforcing age verification, implementing behavioral monitoring systems, and promoting player protection tools, self-exclusion programs, and responsible advertising standards to reduce exposure to gambling harms, especially for youths.
However, challenges remain. Some government agencies have quietly removed illegal gambling from national policy focus despite the worsening issue. There remains debate within public officials on whether teenage gambling addiction warrants prioritization. Social stigma around gambling addiction in Korea may hinder effective prevention and treatment efforts.
In summary, South Korea is seeing growing government efforts to tackle teenage gambling addiction through strengthened legal measures, funding for prevention and healing, and enforcement actions against illegal gambling. However, the problem’s escalation signals a need for clearer policy priority, expanded budgets, and enhanced social support systems targeting at-risk youth populations.
[1] Korea JoongAng Daily [2] Yonhap News Agency [3] The Korea Herald [4] The Independent [5] The Guardian
- What's concerning is that the rise in teenage gambling addiction in South Korea, largely due to the pandemic and insufficient policy focus, may be exacerbated by a lack of emphasis on mental health and wellness in the science of addiction, as well as the glamorization of gambling in certain aspects of popular culture like casino-and-gambling.
- It's essential that juniors, in their pursuit of knowledge and well-being, are made aware of the potential risks associated with gambling, as this could significantly impact their future health-and-wellness and overall mental-health.
