Nearly 300 South Korean teens self-report cyber gambling
Nearly 300 South Korean teenagers have voluntarily disclosed involvement in cyber gambling within the first month of a nationwide reporting programme, offering a stark insight into the scale of underage online gambling and its links to debt, addiction and criminal activity.
According to data released by the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), 294 reports of youth cyber gambling were submitted between 18 May and 22 June under South Korea’s Youth Cyber Gambling Voluntary Reporting System. Of these, 244 were self-reports filed by the teenagers themselves, while 50 were submitted by parents or guardians.
The figures emerged just over a month after six government bodies launched the nationwide initiative to encourage young people involved in online gambling to seek help and treatment rather than conceal their activities.
One school accounted for 48 self-reports
The data revealed a notable concentration of gambling activity among students in some schools. At a single high school in Gangwon Province, 48 students voluntarily reported cyber gambling, the highest number recorded at any school nationwide. A further 20 students reported gambling at a nearby high school, bringing the total number of voluntary reports in the area to 78.
The Gangwon Provincial Police Agency reportedly sought to increase awareness of the programme by distributing business cards featuring the Instagram accounts of School Police Officers and using direct messaging channels familiar to teenagers.
The profile of those reporting also highlighted the extent of gambling among school-aged children.
Males accounted for 274 reports, representing 93 per cent of all disclosures. High school students made up 176 cases, or 60 per cent of the total, while middle school students accounted for 118 cases, or 40 per cent.
Average gambling period reaches one year
Police data showed that the teenagers who came forward had engaged in cyber gambling for an average of 12 months.
The average amount deposited on gambling platforms was KRW3 million (US$2,200), while the highest individual amount reported reached KRW60 million (US$43,900).
The figures suggest that many of the young people involved were not occasional participants but had engaged in gambling activity over extended periods and with significant financial exposure.
Gambling linked to violence and secondary crime
Authorities also reported cases in which gambling addiction led to violence, self-harm and criminal activity. In Incheon, a 15-year-old boy voluntarily reported his gambling after allegedly assaulting his mother and attempting to take his own life over a gambling debt of KRW4 million (US$2,900). Police said the teenager had deposited nearly KRW30 million (US$22,000) on gambling sites and would be referred to counselling through a gambling problem prevention and treatment centre as well as addiction treatment programmes at a psychiatric hospital.
In another case, a 17-year-old out-of-school youth in North Jeolla Province was found to have repeatedly run away from home and broken into vehicles to obtain gambling funds. Over a period of 14 months, the teenager reportedly deposited KRW16 million (US$11,700) on gambling sites. Authorities deemed the addiction severe and linked the individual to addiction treatment programmes and youth shelter services.
Police also cited another case in which a high school student was caught after stealing items from unlocked vehicles to finance gambling activities.
Nationwide programme launched in May
The voluntary reporting system was launched nationwide on 18 May following a joint memorandum of understanding signed by the Ministry of Education, the Korean National Police Agency, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the National Gambling Control Commission, the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service.
The programme allows individuals under the age of 19 who have engaged in cyber gambling, or their guardians, to report activity through the 117 School Violence Reporting and Counselling Centre.
Once a report is received, school police officers and specialist gambling addiction counsellors conduct assessments and screening tests before referring participants to treatment and recovery services where necessary.
Authorities have stated that young people who voluntarily report their gambling activities may receive maximum leniency. Police consider factors including the amount gambled, the individual’s attitude towards rehabilitation and the extent of participation in treatment programmes before deciding on outcomes such as warnings or requests for summary judgment.
School police officers and counsellors from the Korea Gambling Problem Prevention and Treatment Centre continue to provide follow-up support after the initial intervention.
Government cites rising youth gambling concerns
The six agencies launched the programme after concluding that youth cyber gambling had become a serious social issue.
Government data showed that the number of minors identified during special cyber gambling crackdowns increased from 4,715 between September 2023 and October 2024 to 7,153 between November 2024 and October 2025.
Officials also pointed to evidence that some young gamblers were turning to illegal lending to finance their activities. Research from the Korea Youth Policy Institute found that 12.7 per cent of young gamblers had used illegal private loans to obtain gambling funds.
The programme forms part of a broader effort to provide one-stop support covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and assistance for victims of illegal lending linked to gambling.
Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said: “It is a national duty to safely protect our youth from gambling and support their healthy growth.”
He added: “We will actively strive to protect students by strengthening school-centred preventive education and expanding promotion and guidance on the voluntary reporting system.”
Acting KNPA Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung said: “The most important aspect of the voluntary reporting system is to break the vicious cycle by identifying and treating gambling youth early.”
He added: “Through this nationwide expansion, we will strive to help youth grow into healthy members of society.”
Pilot programme informed nationwide rollout
Before being expanded nationwide, the voluntary reporting system was piloted by eight regional police agencies, beginning with the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency in 2024.
During the pilot phase, authorities identified 512 young people involved in cyber gambling and connected all of them to treatment programmes.
The government said the re-gambling rate within three months was only 0.8 per cent, equivalent to four individuals. Among participants, 171 received warnings while 116 were referred for summary judgment proceedings.
Officials said the results supported the decision to expand the initiative nationally, arguing that encouraging teenagers to acknowledge gambling problems and undergo treatment could be more effective than relying solely on enforcement and criminal penalties.
The voluntary reporting programme is scheduled to remain in operation until 31 August 2026.
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