Law enforcement officials in South Korea have apprehended a total of 2,925 individuals suspected of engaging in illicit online gaming activities in operations running over the last six months.
The figure was revealed in a recent report by the country’s National Office of Investigation (NOI).
Among those apprehended, 1,035 were teenagers. Some 75 adults were formally arrested, while 566 teens were referred to counseling centers for assistance. In total, 12 teenagers stand accused of operating online gambling platforms, while six were found to be involved in advertising such sites.
Authorities managed to seize a total of KRW61.9 billion ($44.9 million) during the operation. According to officials, the investigation revealed a trend wherein many middle and high school students were introduced to online gambling through peer influence, smartphone messages, and advertisements across the internet and social media platforms.
The data also sheds light on the types of gambling activities favored by the apprehended teenagers. Baccarat emerged as the most popular, with 41.9 percent of teens participating, followed by sports betting at 19.8 percent, online casinos at 17.1 percent, and the Powerball lottery and online slot machines at 14.7 percent.
South Korean authorities have already announced another six-month campaign starting in May, aiming to further crack down on illegal online activities and curb the involvement of teenagers in these activities.
