The government and financial and private institutions are joining forces to combat the spread of online youth gambling and the illegal private lending harm it causes.
Interactive gambling-prevention programs will be introduced at 170 middle and high schools nationwide, and financial companies will detect and block in real time any transfer attempts by minors under 19 to accounts suspected of links to illegal gambling.
The Ministry of Education announced it will sign a memorandum of understanding on youth gambling prevention and financial harm prevention with the Financial Supervisory Service, the BTF Blue Tree Foundation and Kakao Bank on Wednesday at the Blue Tree Foundation in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
The agreement follows an MOU signed last May by six government agencies — the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Financial Services Commission, the Integrated Racing and Gambling Supervisory Commission, the Korean National Police Agency and the Financial Supervisory Service — to address youth gambling. The new pact aims to build a prevention framework in schools and in young people's daily lives by combining government administrative support with the expertise of financial companies and private organizations.
Online youth gambling has been spreading rapidly, giving rise to a range of secondary harms: students have turned to illegal private lenders to fund their gambling, extorted money from friends or defaulted on borrowed funds, leading to financial damage and further criminal activity.
Starting in September, the Ministry of Education will select 170 middle and high schools across the country to run an arts-based, interactive gambling-prevention program delivered directly to campuses. The sessions take the form of theatrical performances in which students interact with professional actors. Beyond watching the play, participants learn about the probability structure of gambling, the risk of losses and the secondary crimes that can arise when seeking gambling funds — through activities such as true-or-false quizzes, role-playing exercises and group discussions.
A pilot run at 12 schools last year found that participating students' awareness of gambling risks rose 25.1 percent and their knowledge of how to respond to gambling situations improved 42.8 percent. The ministry plans to refine the program and expand it to 170 schools nationwide this year.
A technical blocking mechanism through the banking sector will also go into operation. Kakao Bank will detect in real time any transfer attempts by users under 19 to accounts suspected of links to illegal gambling and block the transactions. A warning screen about illegal gambling will also appear during the transfer process to help protect young users from gambling and financial harm.
The Financial Supervisory Service will supply information on preventing youth financial harm and illegal private lending, along with financial education content. It will also provide financial advisory input as the Blue Tree Foundation develops the interactive prevention curriculum, and will strengthen guidance to help young people easily access counseling and reporting channels, including the illegal private lending victim reporting center.
"Youth gambling not only hinders students' growth and learning but can also lead to financial harm and secondary crimes, requiring a comprehensive response," said Deputy Education Minister Choi Eun-ok. "We will strengthen gambling-prevention education in schools and support young people in recognizing the dangers of gambling and financial harm early so they can get the help they need."
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