[2022 National Audit] Number of Youths Treated for Gambling Addiction Tripled in 5 Years... Crime Also Increasing...

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The number of adolescents receiving hospital treatment for gambling addiction has tripled over the past five years.

According to data on the "Status of Adolescent Gambling Addiction Treatment" submitted by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service to Lee Tae-gyu, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the People Power Party, the number of adolescents (under 19 years old) receiving hospital treatment for gambling addiction increased from 48 in 2017 to 141 in 2021.

Looking at the numbers by year: ▲48 cases in 2017 ▲76 cases in 2018 ▲100 cases in 2019 ▲112 cases in 2020 ▲141 cases in 2021, showing a continuous increase over five consecutive years.

As treatments for gambling addiction increased, the cost of medical benefits also rose significantly. The total cost for adolescent gambling treatment was about 43 million KRW in 2017 but increased more than fourfold to 187 million KRW in 2021.

Adolescent gambling-related crimes have also not decreased but are on the rise. Reviewing the status of juvenile offenders arrested for gambling crimes by the National Police Agency over the past five years, a total of 268 juvenile offenders (aged 14 to 19) were arrested for illegal gambling from 2017 to June 2022. Additionally, according to the Korea Center on Gambling Problems, the average age of adolescent gambling participants, which was 18.2 years in 2017, has decreased to 17.6 years as of July this year.

Online gambling sites have simple registration procedures and lack separate adult verification processes such as resident registration number input, making it easy to access gambling through smartphones.

Rep. Lee stated, "Because secondary crimes such as theft, fraud in secondhand goods transactions, school violence, and extortion are also being triggered to raise gambling funds, it is important for the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Education to collaborate and play roles in raising awareness about gambling behaviors and preventing adolescent exposure to gambling," urging the establishment of countermeasures.