The South Korean Government will implement a temporary nationwide voluntary reporting system for youth online gambling, starting 18 May and running through the end of August.
The system targets both minors involved with online gambling and their guardians. All reports will be accepted through the School Violence Reporting and Counseling Center.
Once a report is received, school officials and professional gambling rehabilitation counselors will provide counseling and screening for those involved and, based on the results, refer them to specialized addiction treatment facilities
It is reported that gambling-related crime is on the rise among youth, including minors turning to illegal loans, as well as fraud and theft.
The Government plans to connect prevention and response policies for youth cyber gambling, which were previously spread across different agencies.
The goal is to provide one-stop support throughout the entire process, from reporting and counseling to rehabilitation and returning to daily life.
The voluntary reporting system was piloted two years ago, in 2024. The program started with the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency, and later expanded to a total of eight regional agencies.
Through the pilot, 512 youth were identified and connected to gambling rehabilitation programs. The return to gambling rate within three months was just 0.8% (four individuals), highlighting the effectiveness of the voluntary reporting system in both preventing and supporting recovery from online gambling.
A joint business agreement for the reporting system was signed by the Ministry of Education, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Gambling Industry Supervisory Commission, the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service.
The Government will continue raising awareness among youth and parents by distributing online newsletters and leaflets, as well as conducting an ongoing outreach campaign
