South Korea arrests 5,200 people over cyber gambling in one year

• An operation against cyber gambling launched in South Korea resulted in 5,200 arrests in a single year until October 2025
• The authorities are determined to extend the crackdown against transnational gambling, continuing the operation for another year
• Half of the detained suspects of cyber gambling are in their 20s and 30s, and a surge is observed in youth gambling offenders

A country-wide special crackdown against transnational gambling crimes in South Korea resulted in the arrest of more than 5,000 people.

Concerningly, half of the detainees were in their 20s and 30s, while law enforcement also recorded more than 7,000 cases of youth gambling.

Fight against transnational cyber gambling continues

A report released Monday by the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency in South Korea uncovered details regarding a prolonged and comprehensive crackdown on cyber gambling.

The latest results cover the period between November 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025.

While one year has passed under the special crackdown on cyber gambling, the authorities confirmed their intention to extend the operation until October next year, in "stern response to transnational gambling crimes," as described in a press release.

Park Woo-hyun, one of the cybercrime investigators at the National Police Agency, who was recently quoted in a report by ChosunBiz, highlighted the growing involvement of underage individuals in gambling activities.

"The damage is spreading to include juveniles," the investigator said.

Moreover, Woo-hyun explained: "We will do our best to eradicate it as it evolves into organized and transnational crime."

The National Police Agency further wrote: "The National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency is investigating illegal cyber gambling that is becoming increasingly transnational."

Half of the suspects were in their 20s and 30s, more than 7,000 underage gambling offenders were caught

A year into the special crackdown on cyber gambling, law enforcement recorded 3,544 cases and arrested 5,196 people.

Out of the 5,196 arrestees, 314 remained detained, while South Korean law enforcement also recovered a mind-blowing 123.5bn won or $83.7m in gambling crime proceeds.

More than half of the arrests involved young people in their 20s and 30s.

The largest group of suspects was in their 20s, some 1,514 or 25.3% of the total, while the second-largest group was young people in their 30s, with 1,489 such individuals arrested or 24.9% of the total.

The third largest group of people arrested over suspected illegal gambling were individuals in their 40s, with 1,366 suspects arrested or 22.8% of the total.

Groups of suspects in their 50s and 60s involved 800 and 306 individuals, respectively.

Concerningly, children in their 10s were also involved in cyber gambling, with 417 such individuals detected or 7.0% of the total number of suspects.

Between November 2024 and October this year, the National Police Agency also caught 7,153 youth gambling offenders.

Some offenders were referred to the Guidance Review Committee and depending on the degree of the crime, a request for referral, summary trial or release was filed.

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