Teenage gambling addiction is escalating in South Korea, with treatment numbers surging, lawmakers warn.
According to The Korean Herald, in 2024, some 4,144 teenagers received help from the Korea Problem Gambling Agency, including nine elementary school children. Over the past four years, the number of treated teens has more than tripled, increasing from 1,286 in 2020 to 2,093 in 2023.
Rep. Cho Gye-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea highlighted that this growing issue poses a significant social threat, potentially leading to crime and community instability, and urged the implementation of systematic anti-gambling education in schools.
A recent state-level survey revealed that 4.3 percent of students from grades four to twelve have engaged in gambling, with a concerning 19.1 percent of those reporting consistent gambling behavior over the past six months.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Tuesday, lawmaker Seo Young-seok of the Democratic Party, a record 156 teenagers received treatment for gambling addiction in the first seven months of 2024. Medical expenses related to this issue quadrupled, rising from KRW 113.9 million ($81,727) in 2022 to KRW436.87 million ($314,804) in 2024.
Additionally, police data revealed an alarming eightfold increase in arrests of teenagers for gambling-related crimes, from 76 in 2022 to 631 in 2024.
Notably, arrests linked to online casinos surged from two in 2022 to 93 in 2024, while those related to illegal sports betting increased from 36 to 109.
Seo emphasized the urgent need for more gambling addiction treatment facilities for teens, an expansion of counseling staff, and enhanced preventive education in schools to address this growing crisis effectively.
