[Poisonous Mushroom Adult Game]② The Persistent 'Bada Iyagi' Specter... "Game Developers Should Also Be Regulated"

Continuously Growing Illegal Gambling Market Size
Badayiyagi, Which Produced Many Victims in the Early 2000s
Thorough Division of Labor Makes Eradicating Illegal Gambling Difficult

Illegal gambling game centers are spreading like poisonous mushrooms not only near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul but also nationwide. The ghost of 'Bada Iyagi,' which pushed ordinary people into the quagmire of gambling, has been revived. Experts point out that illegal gambling game centers can be regulated under current laws, so the government and local governments must actively crack down on them.

An adult game arcade near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, visited on the 20th of last month. About 100 gambling machines are lined up./Photo by Gong Byung-sun mydillon@

According to the '5th Illegal Gambling Status Survey' by the Integrated Supervision Commission for Gambling Industry on the 3rd, the scale of illegal gambling in South Korea last year was estimated at 102.7236 trillion won. This is the first time the scale of illegal gambling, including illegal gambling game centers like Bada Iyagi, online gambling, and horse racing, has exceeded 100 trillion won. The illegal gambling market size, which was around 70.9 trillion won in 2015 and 81.5 trillion won in 2019, has continued to grow through the COVID-19 pandemic. The scale of illegal gambling game centers, where points are obtained by chance and can be exchanged for cash, gradually increased from 13.1814 trillion won in 2015 to 15.4927 trillion won last year.

Authorities believe illegal gambling game centers are spread nationwide. In April, the Seogwipo Police Station arrested Mr. A (60), who operated an illegal gambling game center in Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo City, Jeju, on charges of violating the Game Industry Promotion Act. According to the police investigation, Mr. A operated over 100 illegal gambling machines and encouraged gambling activities by accumulating points earned by game users. This is similar to the method suspected at four adult game centers near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, which are suspected of providing illegal gambling games.

The scale of illegal gambling surpasses 100 trillion won... Illegal gambling game centers re-emerge

The original illegal gambling game like poisonous mushrooms is 'Bada Iyagi.' Bada Iyagi, an arcade-type illegal gambling game, was rampant nationwide in the early 2000s. When a jackpot hit, the machine dispensed gift certificates, which could be exchanged for cash at exchange offices. Ordinary people could gamble near their homes without having to go all the way to Kangwon Land in Gangwon Province. However, as people became addicted to gambling, losing all their assets or even resorting to extreme measures, it led to a prosecution investigation. Prosecutors indicted 153 people, including public officials and politicians, and recovered 137.7 billion won in criminal proceeds from game machine and gift certificate companies. To prevent incidents like Bada Iyagi, the Game Rating and Administration Committee was established in 2013.

The area near Tapgol Park also suffered from illegal gambling game centers in the past. In the early 2000s, more than 40 illegal gambling game centers thrived in this area but disappeared along with the Bada Iyagi incident. Then, starting with J Game Land in 2013 and up to G Game Land last year, they have been re-emerging. Mr. Jeong (70, male), who operates real estate near Tapgol Park, said, "In the early 2000s, homeless people, taxi drivers, and office workers after work all lost money at illegal gambling game centers," adding, "Since G Game Land opened along Songhaegil Road recently, a similar atmosphere to that time is being created."

'Bada Iyagi'-like games pass Game Rating Committee... "Must shake off the ghost of Bada Iyagi"

There are also criticisms that the Game Rating and Administration Committee's regulation of illegal gambling is lax. In October last year, the committee faced criticism for approving a game called 'Badasin2' as suitable for all ages. Badasin2 is similar to Bada Iyagi in name and ocean background. Although it is a shooting game, the icons spin very fast, effectively leaving the outcome to chance. At the time, the committee explained, "Unlike Bada Iyagi, where the result is determined by chance elements, Badasin2's outcome depends on the user's skill."

Experts point out that a thoroughly divided structure makes it difficult to eradicate illegal gambling. Game providers offer platforms where points can be earned by chance and transferred, but they are excluded from the crackdown. Those caught are only operators of illegal gambling game centers and middlemen who buy and sell game points. There is also a view that not only those who create illegal gambling centers and play games but also companies that make games prone to illegal gambling should be cracked down on. The lax enforcement by local governments and police also contributes to the spread of illegal gambling.

Professor Kim Jeong-tae of Dongyang University’s Department of Game Studies said, "There are already sufficient systems in place under the Special Act on Regulation and Punishment of Gambling Acts to regulate gambling-type games similar to Bada Iyagi, including cracking down on game providers," adding, "Investigative authorities, local governments, and the Game Rating and Administration Committee must jointly crack down to eradicate gambling-type illegal games."