5,196 Arrested in Special Cyber Gambling Crackdown... Half of Suspects in Their 20s and 30s

1. 123.5 Billion Won in Gambling Crime Proceeds Recovered

The National Office of Investigation under the National Police Agency announced on November 24 that it had conducted a special crackdown on cyber gambling from November last year to October this year, resulting in the arrest of 5,196 individuals. Of these, 314 were taken into custody, and a total of 123.5 billion won in criminal proceeds from gambling was recovered.

National Police Agency

By type, casino-related offenses accounted for the largest share of all cyber gambling crimes at 27.2%. This was followed by sports toto (16.6%) and horse racing, cycling, and boat racing (8.6%).

Half of the suspects were in their 20s and 30s. Specifically, those in their 20s made up 25.3%, those in their 30s 24.9%, those in their 40s 22.8%, those in their 50s 13.4%, teenagers 7.0%, and those aged 60 and above 1.7%. In the sports toto category, people in their 20s and 30s constituted the majority. For game-based casino offenses, individuals in their 20s to 40s were evenly distributed. In the case of horse racing, cycling, and boat racing, many offenders were in their 40s and older, having been introduced through offline events.

Over the course of one year, the National Police Agency identified 7,153 juveniles involved in gambling activities. For minor offenses, juvenile offenders are referred to guidance review committees established at police stations. Depending on the severity of the offense, they may receive a warning, be subject to summary judgment, or be referred for prosecution. With the consent of the individuals and their parents, the police also connect them to professional counseling agencies such as the Korea Center on Gambling Problems to provide treatment and counseling services, as part of efforts to prevent repeat offenses.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, "Cyber gambling is a representative addictive crime, and its damage is spreading even to juveniles. As these crimes are evolving into organized and transnational offenses, we will do our utmost to eradicate them."

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