South Korean Teens Using Gambling Amnesty Periods to Confess Crimes, Say Police

At least six gambling-addicted South Korean teenagers have taken advantage of a recent gambling amnesty period to turn themselves in at police stations.

Officers said that the teens, one high school student and five middle school students, admitted to gambling-related charges and voluntarily reported their misdemeanors, the South Korean newspaper Busan Ilbo reported.

The amnesty period launched by the police in South Gyeongsang Province in December ended on February 28. Police told gambling-addicted teens they would receive clemency if they confessed to their gambling-related crimes during this period.

Officers said the campaign was successful and pledged to launch another, similar initiative later this year.

Gambling Amnesty: Police to Launch New Campaign

Police said the students responded to calls to action published in promotional materials posted in the province. Officers say that they advertised the amnesty on electronic billboards and public transportation networks.

The Jinju branch of the commercial banking Nonghyup branch also took part in the campaign, featuring promotional messages on the screens of 2,106 ATMs.

Officers said three of the middle school students were friends. One of the trio reported their crimes first, and then encouraged two of their friends to do likewise.

Police investigations confirmed that the six teens placed bets on online gambling platforms, which are illegal in South Korea.

The lowest-spending teen admitted to placing bets totaling 200,000 won ($136). But the highest-spending member of the group said they had placed bets totaling 11 million won (about $7,500).

Police said they would conduct further investigations before deciding on their next steps. If they think the risk of repeat offences is low, the teens may be conditionally released. But habitual offenders could face summary trials or even indictment.

A police official said they teamed up with psychologists to assess the mental health of the six teens. All will take part in a guidance program at a specialized institution, the official added.

The guidance measures will also focus on preventing recurrences and relapses into gambling-linked behavior.

Confess & Receive Leniency, Say Officers

“We plan to show the greatest possible leniency to juveniles who come forward to confess their crimes even after the voluntary reporting period,” said an official from the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency’s Youth Protection Division.

“We plan to review the amnesty’s progress and launch a new campaign in the second half of this year,” the official concluded.

Earlier this month, a South Korean broadcaster said it had found evidence that teenagers were using borrowed or stolen ID documents to place bets on sports matches.

The broadcaster said teens were accessing Sports Toto platforms to place their bets. Sports Toto is the country’s only legal sports betting platform. It offers pool betting on multiple matches, with a daily spending limit of 100,000 won ($67).

Also, this year, a major survey of school-age children in Seoul found that 2% of elementary-age pupils have experienced gambling. The survey also found that 70% of children who admitted to gambling were boys.