"Equivalent to Removing Medical Staff During Golden Time" Repeated Criticism Over Korea Center on Gambling Problems' Moves to Downsize Regional Centers

Assemblywoman Im Ok-kyung, "Illegal Gambling Flourishes... Addiction Prevention and Treatment Capacity Rather Reduced"
Regional Center Council Also Issues Public Statement
"Gambling Problems Serious Due to COVID-19 Pandemic... Public Interest Must Come First"

Im Oh-kyung, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Amid serious social problems caused by illegal gambling and gambling addiction, the Gambling Industry Integrated Supervision Commission (GIS Commission) under the Prime Minister's Office is considering downsizing the regional centers of the Korea Center on Gambling Problems (KCGP), sparking controversy and ongoing criticism. ▶Asia Economy September 15 article 'Gambling problems worsen due to COVID-19... Controversy over drastic downsizing of regional management centers' referenced

On the 17th, Im Oh-kyung, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, issued a press release pointing out that amid the rampant illegal gambling, the capacity for addiction prevention and treatment is actually being reduced.

According to data submitted to Rep. Im by the GIS Commission, the domestic legal gambling market shrank from 10 trillion won to 5 trillion won around the COVID-19 outbreak (based on the first half of the year). At the same time, the ‘Addiction Prevention and Treatment Contribution Fee,’ which requires gambling operators to contribute 0.35% of their sales revenue to gambling addiction prevention and treatment projects, is expected to be halved from 20 billion won to about 10 billion won. However, as a ‘balloon effect’ of this, the illegal gambling market size is estimated to reach 81 trillion won this year.

In this context, Rep. Im criticized the downsizing of KCGP regional centers as a very dangerous idea. He said, “The seven legal gambling industries in Korea coexist with society within a controllable range through various regulations on betting methods and participant eligibility for domestic citizens, and their contribution funds have recognized positive functions. In contrast, the illegal gambling market is considered a major culprit destroying social order because it is beyond the GIS Commission’s supervisory capacity and uncontrollable. Reducing the capacity of KCGP, the only specialized institution for prevention and treatment, due to a decrease in contribution fees by operators during a time when the black market is thriving more than the legal industry amid the COVID-19 crisis, is a dangerous idea akin to removing medical staff during the golden hour,” he criticized.

The 13 KCGP regional centers nationwide also publicly criticized the GIS Commission’s policy. The KCGP Entrusted Regional Centers Council (Hanji-hyeop) issued a public statement condemning the plan to close and downsize the 13 entrusted regional centers that have provided community-centered services for nearly 11 years, calling it a cessation of gambling addiction prevention and treatment services as a public good.

Hanji-hyeop criticized the GIS Commission’s hasty decision and demanded ▲ immediate abolition of the regional center downsizing ▲ securing government-led funding for gambling addiction prevention and treatment services. They also pledged to push for institutional improvements and legislation for gambling addiction prevention and treatment projects.

Hanji-hyeop emphasized, “In the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, prolonged social distancing causing mass unemployment and continued non-face-to-face conditions lower the entry barriers for ordinary citizens to illegal gambling and exacerbate youth gambling problems. We strongly urge the government to implement policies prioritizing public interest to proactively prevent the imminent crisis caused by gambling problems, protect citizens from gambling addiction, and ensure that no citizens suffer disadvantages due to misguided policies.”

The GIS Commission is planning to prepare and conduct a research project on a plan to reduce the current 13 KCGP regional centers to 5 centers. These regional centers are the ‘frontline’ institutions responding to gambling addiction, establishing cooperative systems with local governments, hospitals, and related organizations, and carrying out customized gambling problem prevention activities as well as counseling and treatment for gambling addicts in the community.