The National Police Agency (KNPA) of South Korea has observed a concerning trend of increasing underage involvement in illegal gambling activities, prompting law enforcement to devise preventive measures. According to KNPA data, there has been a significant surge in the number of teenagers detained for illegal gambling.
In 2023 alone, 171 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19 were apprehended, marking a 2.3-fold increase compared to the previous year's figure of 74 individuals. It's notable that a majority of the detainees were male, accounting for 92.4% of the total.
Moreover, there has been a consistent decline in the average age of suspects over the past five years, dropping from 17.3 years in 2019 to 16.1 years in 2023. KNPA highlighted that a vast majority of these underage individuals, approximately 84.8%, were involved in card games for money, with each game lasting around ten seconds.
The rise in underage gambling cases underscores the need for robust preventive measures and heightened awareness campaigns to deter youth from engaging in illegal gambling activities.
