TLDR South Korea’s National Police Agency recorded 1,777 youth self-reports of cyber gambling between May 18 and the end of August. Most youths said outreach and education from school resource officers motivated them to come forward. High school students made up more than half the reports, with one elementary student also included. Police referred 1,430 youths to treatment centers and asked regulators to block 464 illegal gambling sites. Some cases involved illegal lenders who threatened to expose youths’ gambling debts to friends and family.
South Korea’s National Police Agency says 1,777 young people self-reported involvement in cyber gambling this summer.
The reports came in during a special period that ran from May 18 through the end of August.
The program was run by a task force. It included the Ministries of Education, and Gender Equality and Family, along with financial regulators.
The goal was to encourage young people caught up in online gambling to come forward and get help.
After each report, school resource officers and counselors interviewed the youths. They assessed how serious each gambling problem was.
Based on those interviews, youths were sent to healing programs at specialized centers.
Reasons Behind the Reports
Most youths, 1,183 people or 66.6%, said they came forward because of education and outreach from school resource officers.
Media coverage, including internet posts and posters, motivated 243 people. Friends or acquaintances led another 180 to report themselves.
School programs and guidance accounted for 110 more cases.
High school students made up 963 of the reports. Middle school students accounted for 813, and one elementary student also self-reported.
In one case, a 15-year-old student in Chungcheongbuk influenced classmates. That led to 30 self-reports from a single school.
In Busan, a 15-year-old who had bet 3.6 million Korean won over eight months saw