Illegal online gambling surges in S.Korea say official data
According to government data, reports of illegal online gambling in South Korea have tripled over the past four years.
Data submitted by the National Gambling Control Commission to an opposition lawmaker shows a sharp rise in reported cases. These incidents surged from 13,064 in 2019 to 39,082 in 2023, representing a threefold increase, reported on Wednesday local news outlet The Korea Herald.
Online gambling was the dominant form of illegal gambling in South Korea last year, accounting for 80.3 percent of the 48,648 cases reported, according to the National Gambling Control Commission.
Illegal sports betting comprised the second largest share, making up 19.4 percent of the 2023 total.
South Korea has 17 casinos, according to Korea Casino Association data, with 16 of those open only to foreigners. The only property that legally allows gambling by local residents is the Kangwon Land casino resort, in an upland area of Kangwon province – 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Seoul.
