South Korea's Sports Toto has launched a nationwide contest aimed at raising awareness of gambling-related harm. The initiative also encourages the public to share practical approaches to gambling prevention.
The 2026 Sports Promotion Lottery Gambling Problem Prevention Content Contest is being jointly organized by the Seoul Olympic Memorial Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, Korea Sports Leisure and Seoul Namdaemun Police Station.
Entries will be accepted until August 23 across two formats: short-form videos and practical essays.
Video submissions must be vertical and less than one minute long, focusing on subjects including youth gambling, illegal gambling, the risks associated with gambling addiction and practical prevention strategies. Entries can be submitted individually or by teams of up to three people.
The essay category is limited to individual participants and is intended to highlight personal or observed experiences involving gambling prevention or efforts to reduce excessive gambling habits. Submissions can be up to four A4 pages.
Organizers have divided the competition into adult and youth categories. The adult division is open to the general public, including university students and military personnel, while the youth division targets middle and high school students.
A total of 16 entries will receive awards, comprising 10 short-form videos and six essays. Six adult and four youth entries will be recognized in the video category, while three winners from each division will be selected for the essay competition. The total prize pool is KRW 14.3m, with the awards ceremony scheduled for September 18.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts surrounding the Sports Promotion Lottery to increase public understanding of gambling risks while encouraging prevention-focused education, particularly among younger people.
The competition includes separate adult and youth divisions, with the latter open to middle and high school students