Gyeonggi Province’s Office of Education has formed a partnership with South Korea’s Gambling Control Commission (KGCC) to combat youth gambling. This collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding on Monday at Osan Seongho Middle School, aims to address the increasing exposure of schoolchildren to gambling through their smartphones by integrating preventive education with broader school initiatives.
The agreement links gambling education with a strategy that promotes reduced smartphone use, alongside an engaging approach known as RAS, which stands for reading, arts, and sports. This initiative is designed to fill students' time with structured activities that do not rely on screens, aiming to limit their access to gambling content while offering them meaningful alternatives.
The KGCC, operating under the prime minister's office, is tasked with overseeing gambling activities and monitoring illegal practices. It will work with the Gyeonggi education office on policy coordination, student protection efforts, and the exchange of educational resources and prevention experts. The partnership is set to analyze operational data, develop pilot programs, and establish a model for potential national implementation.
This initiative emphasizes a comprehensive, school-centered approach to youth gambling prevention. By focusing on long-term integration of gambling prevention measures into daily school routines rather than short-term campaigns, the collaboration hopes to effectively block exposure to gambling content through smartphone restrictions combined with engaging RAS activities.
At the signing ceremony, Gyeonggi education chief An Min-seok highlighted the urgency of addressing the youth gambling issue. He stated, "To effectively respond to youth gambling problems, close cooperation between the Office of Education, which best understands the school environment, and specialized prevention and treatment institutions is necessary." He expressed hope that the agreement moves beyond a ceremonial gesture and fosters practical policy implementation.
South Korea’s initiative follows similar campaigns in various markets, including Ireland, where a national effort was launched in July to help parents recognize and address underage gambling. This campaign is reaching audiences through video-on-demand, radio, digital audio networks, and social media.
