Police Arrest 5,196 for Online Gambling—Half of Suspects in Their 20s and 30s

[Financial News] The police have arrested over 5,000 individuals as part of a special crackdown on online gambling crimes. Half of the suspects were found to be in their 20s and 30s.
The National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) announced on the 24th that it had conducted a Special Crackdown on Cyber Gambling from November 1 last year to October 31 this year to eradicate illegal online gambling crimes. During this period, a total of 3,544 cases were detected and 5,196 people were arrested. Among them, 314 were detained, and a total of 123.5 billion won in criminal proceeds was confiscated.
This special operation was carried out primarily by dedicated investigative teams at each Metropolitan Police Agency to systematically respond to the increasingly organized and specialized nature of online gambling crimes. The number of arrests increased by 0.6% compared to the same period last year, while the number of detentions rose by 7.9%.
By type, casino-related offenses accounted for the largest share of all online gambling crimes, with 1,016 cases (27.2%). This was followed by Sports Toto (621 cases, 16.6%) and horse racing, Bicycle Racing, and Motorboat Racing Betting (320 cases, 8.6%).
An age breakdown of online gambling suspects revealed that those in their 20s made up the largest group at 1,514 (25.3%), followed by those in their 30s at 1,489 (24.9%), and those in their 40s at 1,366 (22.8%). The next largest groups were those in their 50s (800, 13.4%), teens (417, 7.0%), and those aged 60 and above (306, 1.7%).
Sports Toto, which is based on sports events, was found to be most popular among people in their 20s and 30s. In contrast, horse racing, Bicycle Racing, and Motorboat Racing Betting attracted a majority of participants aged 40 and above, many of whom transitioned from offline betting.
Over the past year, the KNPA identified 7,153 minors involved in gambling activities.
The KNPA plans to continue the Special Crackdown on Cyber Gambling in 2026, following another special operation in 2025, in order to maintain the effectiveness of these enforcement efforts.
In particular, this special operation will focus investigative resources on apprehending operators of illegal gambling sites based overseas. The KNPA also intends to actively provide preventive education to young people through Cybercrime Prevention Instructors and School Resource Officers (SROs).
Park Woo Hyun, Cyber Investigation Policy Officer at the KNPA, stated, "Online gambling is a highly addictive crime, and its harmful effects are spreading even to minors. As online gambling evolves into an organized and transnational crime, we will do our utmost to eradicate it."
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yu-ha Reporter