Online gambling a costly addiction
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Some 21 prominent South Koreans, including pop singers, comedians and other celebrities, were indicted last week for betting on illegal sports gambling websites.
According to the prosecution, they wagered large sums on football teams in the English Premier League through private gambling websites.
Their indictment is just one indicator of how illegal gambling has permeated South Korean society. Government figures estimate the size of the illicit gambling sector at 75 trillion won (Bt2.2 trillion), nearly four times larger than the legal industry, at 20 trillion won.
Experts attribute this worrying phenomenon mainly to the growing use of Internet and smartphones. South Korea has the highest usage rates of Internet and mobile devices in the world, providing fertile ground for online gambling.
Experts note that online gambling, which guarantees anonymity and easy access, is 10 times more addictive than casino betting. According to a survey by a government committee, the proportion of South Korean gambling addicts who cannot be expected to quit on their own is 7.2 per cent, compared with 1.9 per cent in the UK, 2.4 per cent in Australia and 3.3 per cent in Canada.
Last week’s indictment of celebrities on illegal gambling charges came amid an intensifying debate over whether to enact laws for stricter regulation of online games. A poll of 642 adolescents conducted by a local hospital research team last year found that more than 70 per cent were addicted to online gaming. Their mental ability was also found to be lower than other teenagers less exposed to gaming.
It can be assumed that youths absorbed in online gaming are more likely to become addicted to illegal online gambling. Addiction to online gaming and gambling could result in more mental disorders, increased crime and reduced productivity.
Given these structural causes and the adverse effects online addiction has on society, the problem might be handled more efficiently in a social, rather than individual, context.
The Internet game industry should shoulder its share of the burden in fighting against gaming addiction, rather than just raising voices against the proposed regulatory bills. Thorough and persistent efforts should also be made to crack down on illegal online gambling and subject gamblers to heavier punishment.
