Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police Crack Down on Illegal Employment and Entry of Minors at Hold'em Pubs and Cafes

Gyeonggi Province is launching an investigation into illegal activities at hold'em pubs and similar establishments where people play poker and other games while drinking alcohol.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit announced on November 17 that, from November 24 to December 12, it will conduct a three-week intensive investigation into illegal activities such as allowing minors to enter or work at hold'em pubs and hold'em cafes in the province.

A hold'em pub is a compound word combining 'hold'em,' referring to a card game, and 'pub,' meaning a bar. It is a type of bar where patrons can enjoy card games such as poker while drinking alcohol.

Establishments such as hold'em pubs and cafes, which offer gambling and games that encourage speculative behavior, are prohibited from allowing minors to enter or work there. However, there are still cases where minors are found entering or being employed at some of these venues.

Poster for Special Investigation of Hold'em Pubs and Hold'em Cafes by Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police Unit

The Special Judicial Police Unit of the province has decided to investigate businesses for ▲ employing minors ▲ allowing minors to enter ▲ inadequate measures to restrict minors' access, in order to prevent minors from being exposed to gambling activities and to prevent gambling addiction, especially after the College Scholastic Ability Test.

Under the current Youth Protection Act, business owners who employ minors can face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won. Those who allow minors to enter their establishments, or fail to post notices restricting the entry or employment of minors, can face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won, respectively.

Ki Ido, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit, stated, "It is important to protect minors from harmful environments so that they can grow up safely and healthily. Gyeonggi Province will take the lead to ensure that minors are not exploited as a means of making money or exposed to dangerous temptations. We ask for active reports from residents and for business owners to comply with the law."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.