How Alarming if Online Gambling Is Reaching Elementary School Children

[robelneo]

Our country was once hit by rampant gambling addiction because of online cockfighting fever, where parents spent their salaries on online casinos; the fever slowed down when the government shut it down. During those times, only adults were addicted to online gambling.

We never had news that children as young as 10 years old were playing in online casinos, but in South Korea, online gambling is reaching elementary school children.

Do you think it's very alarming that online gambling is reaching young people and becoming addictive at an early age? Do you have something like this in your country, and what remedies has your government undertaken?

Nearly one in five young people caught gambling illegally in South Korea this year was under 14 — an age group that cannot be held criminally liable.

Police data reviewed by The Seoul Economic Daily show that 361 people aged 10 to 18 were caught for gambling crimes between January and July. Seventy-one were children aged 10 to 13, representing 19.7% of the total.

Online Gambling Is Reaching South Korea’s Elementary School Children

[Pandu Geddon]

The situation can be really terrible if it’s not dealt with immediately. Even though the young kids are playing with small amounts, the habit of gambling continuously can definitely have a negative impact on their development, especially on their emotional and psychological aspects. 
We know the effects of gambling addiction on adults, so what if most of the younger generation becomes addicted to gambling? 
The government, parents, and teachers at school need to work together to make changes and prevent bad situations from happening.

[Hispo]

Of course it is something we should be worried about, regardless in which society we live in, it is not acceptable to have literal children to partake in gambling or sport-betting, gambling away their parents money on the internet.

I knew gambling was somewhat prevalent in south Asia, but having middle school kids gambling in a developed country like South Korea is something which need to be tackle fast.

Here in my country we don't have something as serious as a gambling addiction epidemic, but there are surely some kids gambling when they are supposed to be at school instead. 

[CryptoBuds]

In fact, the main problem is smartphones and social media. Along with these tow easy online payment has now decreased the entry barrier to gambling a lot. 71 people aged 10 to 13 have been caught, this is about 19.7% of 361 people. I think this is really alarming. However if we see this as the prevalence of the entire population then it would be wrong. This is actually data on cases caught by the police.

[Charles-Tim]

What I noticed but which I thought will not be in South Korea before but I am doubting that now is lack of strict regulations on underage gambling which need to be very effective.

Another one are the parents. They need to be advising the children and the reason they should stay away from gambling. Gambling should be for only adults, although children are gambling in school and other places, but with very small amount of money and not on gambling sites but within themselves.

[KiaKia]

It's illegal gambling, and in all Korea the numbers of underage caught among those who are gambling is 75? In a whole country? That's very low to be honest, it shows that south Korea gets their shit together around illegal gambling.

Come to my country, I bet the number will be in thousands, what are they yapping about lol? That shows that the bans they put on gambling is working, I would clap for them if I am in that country, that's a very good record.

Anyways, it will be near impossible to completely make this stop, because there will always be a stubborn child who wouldn't listen to rules and regulations, they will always want to go bad.

[Orpichukwu]

I believe this is almost everywhere: underage children are always finding their way down to the casinos to gamble, which I can blame on the type of get-rich-quick type of promotion some of these casinos are doing online, which is very alarming. I have seen children from my country who are below the age of 15 walk into a betting shop to stake, which is very disturbing.

Parents can also be blamed for some of this; the government can also be held responsible for not creating enough awareness about gambling problems and educating the young to stay out of it, but the easy access people have to online casinos has made things way more difficult, and how children within that age bracket are constantly in search of what will give them quick money is also another problem that keeps pushing them into gambling.

[Hewlet]

Do you think it's very alarming that online gambling is reaching young people and becoming addictive at an early age? Do you have something like this in your country, and what remedies has your government undertaken?

In an environment where adult are getting addicted to a particular lifestyle, it is not out of place that the children themselves will join suit and still get involved in gambling especially in a time when an average ten years on child has access to a mobile device that he can gamble with. if you see them gambling at that age, don't see it as a strange thing because if they can read and write and can watch ads that tells them how o go about gambling, why we we assume that gambling should now be a big thing for them?

The popularity of sport is also one of the leading cause of this because an average child already knows how sports works and sports on it own does not exist in isolation, it goes hand in hand with gambling and so if a ten year old can watch a sports game, he can definitely get exposed to gambling and if he has a mobile phone though in an elementary class, he will certainly try out gambling at a point.

[Ayers]

South Korea is also not taking this lightly. From what I saw online, they have strengthened school based gambling prevention education and made gambling prevention program mandatory in schools at least twice a year. At the same time they have introduced cyber gambling self-reporting system for under 19s. Where no punishment is given. Rather, instead of punishment, counseling and follow up support are being given. 

In fact, just closing gambling website will not completely disappear this problem. If we stop online gambling then they will be able to enter again through other domain, Telegram, social media or peer-to-peer channel. Therefore in addition to enforcement, parents, school and payment platform should also be involved.

[Oshosondy]

It's illegal gambling, and in all Korea the numbers of underage caught among those who are gambling is 75? In a whole country? That's very low to be honest, it shows that south Korea gets their shit together around illegal gambling.

Those are the number of children that are investigated to be gambling just as you posted, but not all children that are actually gambling. There is a difference between those two sentences.

Some children are very wise.

Anyways, it will be near impossible to completely make this stop, because there will always be a stubborn child who wouldn't listen to rules and regulations, they will always want to go bad.

This is one thing about children, especially the boys. If I remember my past, I felt disappointed at myself that why did I did this when I was very young. They will see it as something normal and enjoyable.

[Samlucky O]

Do you think it's very alarming that online gambling is reaching young people and becoming addictive at an early age? Do you have something like this in your country, and what remedies has your government undertaken?

Yes gambling is reaching out to young and underaged people, and it is Also becoming addictive but I think the least you can see in my country is 14 -15 years and above. You can't see any young person below this age bracket in physical casino or gambling hall placing bet, because the gambling agent will never allow such person to gamble following the law. But it is possible that young people or underage can gamble online but the government law is Very effective in my country. Except for those who do it secretly just to make money. Any young person caught will be arrested by the law enforcement agency except he or she is never caught.

[Y3shot]

The reason why the addiction rate among younger individuals is rising is due to access to devices. Young people around the age of 10 own devices or have constant usage of them.

The only way to control this is for the government to regulate gambling for minors and for parents to do their best to ensure that young people own devices only at an appropriate age. If young ones continue to own devices, there is nothing that can be done; instead, the gambling rate will keep increasing.

[Die_empty]

What do you expect when gambling ads are all over the place?  I was concerned when I saw a billboard advertising a casino near a secondary school. Betting platforms are located in thesame streets as schools. Children who have access to phones are bombarded with gambling ads that would contribute to underage gambling. Some parents are not helping matters either, as they sometimes expose their children to gambling through their actions. I know a gambler who sends his underage son to place bets on his behalf. It's happening everywhere and not just in South Korea.

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

This kind of thing has not happened in my country, it is very rare to see a minor participating in a real gambling activity in my country  that's because parents are not giving their kids the leverage to do things that they are not yet of the right age to do. Even if you see a kid gambling here in my country, not below 17 or 15 and it's rare. Parents over here don't easily keep off their key from their kids in some kind of activities, even if the parents doesn't observe what is going on with their kids, someone who sees it might still speak to the parents to ask them if they are aware of what their kid is doing.

This is a problem that could mess the future of the kid when they grow up to fully depend on gambling as a way of making quick money or they will be thinking about easy things not knowing that most good things, most success doesn't just come easily the way someone can luckily win a water. So, I'd say let the parents keep a close eye on the kids and let the government also close what ever source through which these kids are able to access gambling easily.

[DanWalker]

I think that just punishing 10 to 13 year old children like adult gambler will not solve his underlying problem at all. However if they can do early detection then maybe they can find some effective solution through combination of financial control, education & counseling.

And if any other country sees such trend then I think that how many people have been caught will not yield any good results by hyping it up. It would be better if they could able collect data on how many people are gambling regularly. Also how they get money. You know, only through this data we will be able to understand actual scale of problem, otherwise not.

[PostQuantumBTC]

Yes gambling is reaching out to young and underaged people, and it is Also becoming addictive but I think the least you can see in my country is 14 -15 years and above. You can't see any young person below this age bracket in physical casino or gambling hall placing bet, because the gambling agent will never allow such person to gamble following the law.

Why are underage gambling in your country and you are not reporting the gambling places where you people are seeing the children to the right regulators or at least police? That is so wrong if I should be right with you. Do you understand? You can do the report anonymously. Even parents should not be allowed to send their kids to the gambling places to do anything.

[Awaklara]

Do you think it's very alarming that online gambling is reaching young people and becoming addictive at an early age?

Gambling addiction at an early age is definitely worrying. Where do kids who are still in school get the money to gamble? If their families are well, young gamblers might make money by deceiving their parents regarding fees or certain bills.
But if little gamblers come from less fortunate families, they might spend their pocket money or even extort or steal money from their friends.
When the addiction continues into adulthood, there's a chance they could commit more serious crimes to make money and fund their gambling.

[Promocodeudo]

This might not be noticeable in other countries but the fact is that, many countries are experiencing this currently but this is too bad, I think this is caused by too much gambling ads online, maybe many people has said this but it is what it is, if the government has to come clean on something like this, the leaders of tomorrow which are children has to be protected by every means, this is becoming too much, if this is not tackled early, then there won't be any future.

most gambling site are just more concerned about the money, of course is their business and businesses are established for making money (profit) but not to the level of putting innocent children into trouble by damaging their future, but how can Gambling ads be handled.

[Tungbulu]

Elementary school kids are still 100% dependent on their parents for survival, so I’m still trying to wrap my hands around how they’re able to cope with gambling in the first place. In my country, kids of that age barely have smartphones, and those who have smartphones don’t even have accounts, and one would need an account before they’ll be able to make deposits in their casino accounts right? This is literally the first time I’m hearing such a thing and it’s indeed very shocking.

[YOSHIE]

Do you think it's very alarming that online gambling is reaching young people and becoming addictive at an early age? Do you have something like this in your country, and what remedies has your government undertaken?

The concerns of the government, parents and society for their children who are still in elementary school are very big. If the gambling industry has touched elementary school children, It is very dangerous and a situation like that cannot remain silent and must be acted upon quickly, whether from the government, support from parents and the local community, strict rules are enforced, there is no favoritism.

There are many concerns that gambling has entered the environment of elementary school children.
• Gambling can affect the learning process, it can damage children's brains, make them lazy, emotional, stressed and many negative things will happen, of course their future is bleak.

The government in my area has now implemented a rule that starting at 10pm school children are not allowed to be in stalls, cafes, restaurants and places where there is Wifi, everyone has to go home, unless accompanied by their parents, these rules require support from parents and the local community, that is the main foundation, then the government makes rules, I see that this method is effective and works well.