Date: 18.10.2024

by Adam Dworak

Reports of Illegal Online Gambling Surge in South Korea Over Four Years

Government data reveals that reports of illegal gambling in South Korea have tripled over the last four years, with the majority of cases attributed to online activities.

Steep Increase in Illegal Gambling Cases

According to figures from the National Gambling Control Commission, South Korea has seen a dramatic rise in reported cases of illegal online gambling.

Data submitted to a lawmaker showed that reports surged from 13,064 incidents in 2019 to 39,082 in 2023, marking a threefold increase.

The Korea Herald, a local news outlet, recently covered the issue.

Dominance of Online Gambling

Illegal online gambling accounted for the majority of reported incidents, comprising 80.3 percent of the 48,648 cases logged in 2023.

This reflects the dominance of digital platforms in facilitating unlawful gambling, a trend that has intensified in recent years.

The National Gambling Control Commission highlighted that sports betting was the second largest contributor, making up 19.4 percent of last year’s total.

Limited Legal Gambling Options

South Korea’s gambling landscape is highly restrictive, with most of the country’s 17 casinos open exclusively to foreign visitors.

According to the Korea Casino Association, the only venue where South Korean citizens can legally gamble is the Kangwon Land casino resort, located in a remote area of Kangwon province.

This limited access to legal gambling options for locals may be a factor driving the increase in illegal online activity.