Prevention campaigns, AI detection and joint crackdowns form the core of the effort
Kangwon Land is stepping up prevention, surveillance and enforcement efforts against illegal gambling games in cooperation with the Army and several other agencies.
Kangwon Land said Saturday it has built a cooperative framework with related agencies — including the Speculative Industries Integrated Supervisory Commission, the Game Rating and Administration Committee and the police — to strengthen information sharing and joint crackdowns on illegal gambling. The company is also running ongoing prevention campaigns for military personnel and the general public under a memorandum of understanding with the Army Headquarters Military Police Office.
Chief Executive Kim Do-gyun, a native of Sokcho who previously served as commander of the Capital Defense Command with the rank of lieutenant general, said illegal online gambling games are "evolving rapidly and with increasing sophistication," making prevention, preemptive response and close inter-agency cooperation more important than ever. "We will continue to strengthen an all-encompassing response system that connects technology and people, online and offline, to lead the way in eradicating illegal gambling and fostering a healthy leisure culture for the public," Kim said.
As illegal gambling operations grow increasingly sophisticated and covert, Kangwon Land has partnered with KAIST's Cybersecurity Research Center to deploy an AI-based detection system called Gamble Tracker, establishing a proactive surveillance framework against illegal gambling sites.
The system works by having AI scan the online environment to identify suspicious illegal gambling sites and related information, after which dedicated staff verify the findings, gather evidence and report the sites to the relevant authorities for blocking.
Kangwon Land is also strengthening offline cooperation with partner agencies. This year, the company has conducted joint crackdowns with agencies focused on nearby communities to sharpen its on-the-ground response, while also expanding its surveillance network through public tips and both online and offline monitoring.
The company has run seven public awareness campaigns this year, drawing 9,126 participants, of whom 2,631 signed a personal pledge to reject illegal gambling.
Kangwon Land also ran a prevention campaign jointly with the Army Headquarters Military Police Office at the 16th Gyeryong Military Culture Festival, held in the Gyeryongdae area of South Chungcheong Province from Thursday to Monday. The campaign targeted soldiers, their families and general visitors, raising awareness about the dangers of illegal gambling and operating a range of interactive programs to promote a healthy leisure culture.
Kangwon Land plans to operate a prevention and awareness booth at G-STAR 2026, South Korea's largest gaming exhibition, set to be held in Busan in November, where it will inform gamers about healthy gaming culture and the risks of illegal gambling.
abc@heraldcorp.com
