Teen Gambling Treatment and Counseling Cases Surge 40.9% in Korea

The number of teenagers receiving treatment or counseling for gambling problems in South Korea climbed sharply in 2025, highlighting concerns over young people’s exposure to illegal online betting and gaps in follow-up support.

A total of 5,838 people aged 19 or younger received gambling-related counseling or treatment during the year, according to data from the National Gambling Control Commission. The figure was 40.9 percent higher than a year earlier.

Illegal online gambling was the largest category, accounting for 57.7 percent of the cases. The figures indicate that digital access is central to the challenge facing prevention and rehabilitation programs for minors and other young people.

The data were provided to Lim Oh-kyeong, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party. Lim also pointed to a wide gap between the number of teenagers identified as being at high risk and those referred for specialized assistance.

In 2025, 24,474 teenagers were classified as part of a high-risk group. However, only 1,235 were referred to the Korea Problem Gambling Agency, the state organization responsible for gambling prevention, counseling and rehabilitation. That referral figure represents about 5 percent of the identified high-risk group.

The two sets of figures describe different parts of the response system: one records young people who received counseling or treatment, while the other compares high-risk classifications with referrals to a specialist agency. Together, they show both increasing demand for services and the difficulty of connecting potentially vulnerable teenagers with targeted support.

Lim called for a comprehensive overhaul of the performance management system used for prevention policies, saying the changes were needed to ensure that teenagers are protected.

The rise places attention on how authorities identify gambling risks, evaluate prevention programs and guide young people into counseling or rehabilitation. It also underscores the prominence of illegal online gambling within youth cases. The commission’s data suggest that addressing access to illicit digital betting will be a key part of any broader effort to strengthen protection and close the referral gap.