TLDR South Korea’s illegal gambling market is now estimated at 96 trillion won ($65 billion) 4% of the country’s young people have participated in illegal gambling Youth gambling criminal cases jumped 62% from 478 in 2024 to 777 in 2025 Officials warn the social cost of youth gambling could reach 2 trillion won New gambling commission chairman Choi Byung-hwan took office April 28 with a reform agenda
South Korea is dealing with a rapidly expanding illegal gambling problem that has reached an estimated value of 96 trillion won, or roughly $65 billion. The issue is hitting young people especially hard.
Regulators say 4% of youth in the country have already taken part in illegal gambling activities. That figure has prompted lawmakers to call the situation a growing social crisis.
Police data paints a clear picture of how fast the problem is moving. In 2024, there were 478 criminal cases and preliminary dispositions tied to youth gambling. By 2025, that number climbed to 777.
That represents a 62% increase in just one year, according to SpoTV News.
Rep. Jeon Jeon-gi said during a recent National Assembly debate that the country has reached a turning point. He said the entire society should now recognize youth gambling as a serious problem.
Youth Gambling Linked to Rising Secondary Crimes
Officials say the issue goes beyond just placing bets. Lee Jin-sik of the Supervisory Committee warned that the social cost of youth gambling could hit 2 trillion won.
Ha Dong-jin, who heads the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Women and Youth Division, said illegal youth gambling often leads to secondary crimes. Young people are committing additional offenses to fund their gambling habits.
Speakers at the National Assembly debate agreed that enforcement alone will not solve the problem. They called for a coordinated response