South Korean youths self-report 1,777 cases of cyber gambling

A government-led self-reporting period for youth cyber gambling resulted in 1,777 students coming forward between May 18 and August 31. The participants had an average age of 15.5 years and had been gambling for an average of 10 months, spending approximately 3 million won each. In one extreme case in Ulsan, a teenager was found to have gambled 200 million won over two years.

Most reported cases involved casino-style games such as slots and baccarat, accounting for 95.9% of the total. The reports highlighted severe social consequences, including a 'gambling circle' in Seoul consisting of 14 students involved in fraud and theft to fund their habits, and an incident in Ulsan where a youth assaulted their mother to demand allowance.

Authorities have taken several steps to address the issue. Of the 1,504 students who completed initial interviews, 1,430 were referred to professional institutions like the Korea Problem Gambling Prevention and Healing Service. Police also requested the closure of 464 illegal gambling websites. The National Police Agency plans to analyze the effectiveness of this self-reporting system before deciding on future implementation methods.