Over 2% of Elementary School Children Gambling Online

More than 2 in 100 elementary school children in Seoul, South Korea, have experienced gambling, a major new survey has found.

The survey is the largest of its kind, and reveals a 0.6% rise on last year’s 1.5% figures, the South Korean media outlet News1 reported. It was conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

The survey also shows gamblers are getting younger, with most respondents who said they had experienced gambling saying they first placed a bet in the fifth grade of elementary school.

A similar, but smaller-scale study published in January 2025 found that most youth gamblers placed their first bet during their first year of middle school.

Police said they conducted the survey over approximately seven weeks, from late October to early December 2025.

Korean Elementary School Gambling Epidemic

Police officials said they spoke to 34,779 students in Seoul, interviewing elementary, middle, and high school students. In 2024, police interviewed 10,685 young Seoul residents to compile January 2025’s report.

While the rise in youth gambling is relatively modest, children reported a surge in betting among their peers. The percentage of respondents who reported witnessing gambling activities rose by almost 11% to 21%.

Seven in 10 gamblers were boys, the survey found.

The vast majority (over 40%) of youth gamblers said “recommendations from friends and peers” led them to start gambling. Almost 20% said they were influenced by gambling ads on social media platforms and streaming services.

More than three-quarters of youth gamblers placed bets online, with most wagering on e-sports tournaments.

Also popular were online casinos and illegal sports betting sites.

Gambling Experience Pubs Pose Problem

Two-thirds of youth gamblers used their smartphones to place bets. But more than 7% said they preferred betting in offline venues, such as hold ’em pubs. These pubs, found in major cities across the country, offer “gambling-like experiences” for patrons who place “just-for-fun” bets on casino games like baccarat, poker, and roulette.

Under South Korean law, hold ’em pubs are not allowed to admit anyone under 19.

Police have begun a series of crackdowns on hold ‘em pubs in recent years. They claim that many of these venues offer clandestine real-money betting.

The survey found that 76% of youth gamblers used their allowances or savings to fund their betting habits. But almost one in 10 said they used their relatives’ or parents’ bank accounts or credit cards to place bets.

Almost 4% said they used their income from part-time jobs to fuel their gambling habits. And around 3% said they bullied fellow students into handing over money they could use to gamble.

Loan Sharks Circle

Fourteen percent of youth gamblers admitted they had gone into debt to raise gambling funds. While most said they had borrowed money from friends and family, a small number admitted borrowing from loan sharks.

Last year, financial regulators reported a rise in loan sharks who target teenagers with offers of money for gambling sessions and K-pop concert tickets.

Most of the respondents with gambling experience said that they are currently not gambling (51.4%) or intend to stop (39%).

Respondents said gambling had caused them problems ranging from depression and anxiety to poor academic decline and inter-family conflict.

“The problem of youth gambling is not just a personal problem, but a serious social problem that can destroy individuals and even families,” said Park Jeong-bo, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Commissioner-General. “To ensure that young people remain safe from gambling, we will focus on strictly cracking down on illegal gambling providers. We are also providing prevention and treatment sessions for young people.”

Lawmakers revealed last year that multiple elementary school students have received gambling addiction treatment.