On Thursday, the South Korean National Police Agency shared a compelling data point indicating that teenagers made up about one-third of the 2,925 suspects involved in online gambling who were intercepted during their recent clampdown on an illegal gambling network. The endeavour was led by the agency’s National Office of Investigation and focused specifically on probing adolescent involvement in online gambling from September 25 last year to March 31.
Wagers Placed By Children As Young As Ten
Amongst the collared individuals, 75 adults were incarcerated formally. They had managed to amass profits worth 61.9 billion won ($45 million). Surprisingly, of those nabbed, 1,035 were teenagers who availed the network’s services, hinting at a substantial underage involvement in unlawful gambling proceedings. Despite iGaming being unlawful in the nation, young enthusiasts usually find ways to bypass prohibitions.
Analysis of the available data suggests a disturbing trend, with the discovery of twelve teenagers operating online gambling platforms, six engaged in publicizing these platforms, and five dealing goods under phoney identities. These concerted law enforcement initiative led to 566 teenagers being referred to specialized counseling establishments under guardian supervision to nip potential addiction problems in the bud.
Upon demographic breakdown, high school students emerged as the largest group with 798 individuals, tailed by middle school students with 228, and university students comprising seven. Shockingly, the operation even ensnared several children attending primary school, including a 9-year-old who risked 10,000 won ($7.25). The enquiry disclosed that peer influence was a major factor, with students typically being introduced to online gambling by friends.
Mobilization of Authorities to Battle This Issue
The authorities accentuated the evolution of recent online gambling traps that target adolescents, which have become increasingly entertaining, thus complicating detection. As an example, the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency shattered a syndicate operating online gaming sites, unveiling the contribution of 33 teenagers to their unlawful endeavours. Text messages were often employed as a primary tactic to entice minors into betting activities.
Mentioning the seriousness of such circumstances, Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Office of Investigation, affirmed a resolve to ensure the rigorous implementation of laws against big-time and regular gamblers. He urged households, schools, internet companies, and local communities to elevate scrutiny and collectively address this pressing issue. Regrettably, cases similar to these are alarmingly routine and equally hard to spot, with illicit operators accumulating millions in ill-gotten gains.
Considering the gravity of youth gambling circumstances, we are committed to strictly enforcing the law against high-stakes and habitual gamblers, and dedicating attention towards rehabilitation, education, and publicity at the governmental level.
Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Office of Investigation
In line with the alarming propogation of online gambling among teenagers, the National Office of Investigation announced intentions for a six-month clampdown commencing in May. In addition, the authorities will put in extra efforts to eradicate illicit online content and boost awareness education to counter gambling-related crimes amongst students. Nonetheless, devising a long-term solution might require extraordinary measures.
