South Korea is expanding efforts to prevent youth gambling through two separate initiatives involving financial intervention and public awareness campaigns.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, KakaoBank and Toss Bank will fully introduce the Youth Digital Safety System on November 2, following an agreement signed on October 29.
Under the system, police will share verified suspected gambling accounts with the two internet banks. When young users attempt to transfer money to identified accounts, banking apps may display warnings, restrict transactions or direct them toward counseling through the 117 service.
Toss Bank will issue warnings for transfers to risky accounts at other banks and, where users under 17 continue with a transaction despite the warning, notify their guardians by text message. KakaoBank will prevent young users from transferring money to corporate accounts that its verification process identifies as suspicious.
Young people seeking assistance can be referred from the 117 Center to School Police Officers and professional counselors. Risk levels will be assessed using the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory, with higher-risk cases referred to specialized treatment providers or hospitals.
The initiative follows growing concern over youth gambling. A survey of more than 35,000 Seoul students found 20.9% had seen friends gambling, while separate research estimated 157,000 students had gambling experience, with the average first exposure occurring at age 12.5.
Separately, casino operator Paradise Co has funded the full production cost of a youth gambling prevention advertisement in cooperation with the Korea Center on gambling problems.
The campaign, carrying the slogan "I Play on a Different Board," will run across broadcast and online media from the end of October.
Paradise previously supported Youth Gambling Problem Prevention Week and operates responsible gambling measures including a prevention centre, self-set gaming time controls and an addiction prediction system.
An estimated 157,000 Korean students have experienced gambling
