Tim Alper is a journalist who covers betting news and regulation for CasinoBeats. He joined the CasinoBeats team in May 2025. He reports on breaking news and developments in the world of betting, casinos, and...
Read Full BioSouth Korean online casino spammers have failed to pay fines worth $13.9 million in the first half of 2025, a government agency revealed on October 7.
The South Korean media outlet News1 reported that the data was released by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), the nation’s top media regulation agency.
The KCC released the data in response to a request from lawmaker Park Chung-kwon. Park is a member of the main opposition People Power Party and sits on the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee.
The Rise of Online Casino Spammers
The data shows that the KCC and other government bodies have taken action on approximately 32 million cases of spam messaging, issuing fines in each instance.
However, only a tiny fraction of spam message senders have paid their fines. “The overall collection rate this year was a mere 2.23%,” the media outlet wrote.
The cumulative amount of unpaid fines levied on illegal spam operators as of the end of June this year was 46.618 billion won ($32.7 million).
Online gambling portals and illegal casino-related spam messages accounted for the vast majority (13,268,692 cases, or 41.7% of the total).
The remainder mainly came from illegal investment scams (5,344,930 cases). Pornography and sex trade services accounted for 1,166,816 cases, with loan sharks making up the rest (854,788 cases).
The government says that it is devising a range of new measures. These will help it eventually “eradicate” illegal spam messages, officials claim.
More Collection Measures Now in Place, Says KCC
The KCC says that its recent collection rate has been “steadily increasing.” It states that the data from 2025 includes outstanding amounts from a period before the agency was tasked with addressing spam.
A commission spokesperson noted that the KCC assumed responsibility for anti-spam campaigns at the end of 2018. At the time, the agency inherited a total of over 90 billion won ($63 million) in unpaid fines, the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson explained: “We are making efforts to increase the collection rate. These include releasing more information about discounts for operators who make voluntary payments.”
But lawmakers appear unconvinced. Park said, “The cumulative size of these unpaid fines will only serve as motivation for illegal business operators. The amount of unpaid fines that has been allowed to pile up is enormous. We need an institutional mechanism that can collect these fines more effectively.”
