South Korea Cracks Down on Illegal Online Gambling Websites

South Korean authorities apprehended 2,925 individuals, 12 of whom were minors suspected of operating illegal online gambling websites.

Unsettling details regarding two elementary school pupils involved in illegal gambling activities have surfaced among those taken into custody; one of them is said to have wagered KRW10,000 (US$7.3). The other student is only nine years old.

Seventy-five people were formally arrested during the enforcement operation, which took place between September 25 and March 31 of last year. Authorities also recovered KRW61.9 billion in “criminal proceeds.”

Yonhap News Agency reports that as part of a new six-month campaign that starts in May, officials want to step up efforts to eradicate illegal online content.

Counseling centers received referrals from 566 of the 1,035 youth imprisoned. Most of these young people—228 middle school children, 798 high school students, and seven university students—were tricked into playing illegal online gambling by means of social media marketing, online ads, and smartphone texting.

Police investigations reveal that young persons may access internet gambling with remarkable ease, as payment operations just required a bank account in their name.

41.9 percent of the teenagers apprehended had a penchant for baccarat, while the remaining youths preferred other casino games, powerball or slot machines, and sports betting.

The study highlighted how common unlawful internet gambling is among young South Koreans, but it did not identify the remaining 6.5 percent of gambling-related behaviors.

Original Story by: GGRAsia