More than one-tenth of Korean teenagers with online gambling experience have resorted to illegal private loans to repay gambling debts, according to a report released by a state-run think-tank, prompting measures to protect teenagers from gambling addiction.
The National Youth Policy Institute in July 2024 surveyed 505 Korean teenagers, comprising 135 middle school and 370 high school students with experience in online gambling.
Some 38.6 percent of the respondents said they borrowed money from friends to continue online gambling, while 12.7 percent said they took out private loans from illegal private lenders or friends who charged high interest rates.
When asked whether they had seen or heard of their friends…
