Driver Fined for Using Illegal Casino App While Driving Bus on Busy South Korean Highway

South Korean commuters caught a bus driver using an illegal betting app to gamble while driving on a busy intercity highway.

The South Korean media outlet Seoul Kyungjae wrote that the driver was behind the wheel of a bus traveling from Suwon, in Gyeonggi Province, to the Gangnam District in Seoul on November 10.

A passenger took a video of the driver, which was aired by the TV network JTBC later the same day.

South Korean Bus Driver ‘Gambled While Switching Lanes’

The video shows the unnamed driver holding the steering wheel with his right hand and operating a mobile phone in a cradle to his left.

Passengers said that the bus was “nearly full,” and that the driver’s eyes kept moving from the road ahead to the phone’s screen as he wagered money on an online gambling platform.

The media outlet said that witnesses saw the driver constantly “flipping through various screens and pressing buttons for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes” as he wagered on what a passenger identified as “an illegal gambling website.”

An unnamed passenger explained: “The bus driver repeatedly engaged in dangerous driving behavior. He was making lane changes at high speed while using his cell phone.”

The bus operator, also unnamed in the report, said: “We will investigate this matter thoroughly. If, after verifying the facts, we confirm that the driver was using his cell phone while driving, we will consider imposing a fine. We may also take disciplinary action.”

However, the driver could also face criminal charges if the police decide to get involved. According to the terms of the South Korean Passenger Transport Service Act, bus or taxi drivers are prohibited from using electronic devices, such as cell phones, to receive calls, play games, or watch videos while driving.

Courts in the nation have the power to hand down fines of up to 5 million won ($3,405) to offenders.

Texas Hold ’em Den Raided

Elsewhere in the country, the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it had arrested 139 people on charges of operating an illegal gambling Texas Hold ’em den.

NoCut News reported that the den operated in the city from January to August. Officers said that they had detained six individuals in custody.

Police said the den had processed some 5.8 billion won ($3.9 million) worth of illegal bets. Earlier this month, South Korean local government chiefs said they were considering a crackdown on claw machines.

Experts said the machines were encouraging gambling addiction and causing children to develop unhealthy habits.