The Office of Education for Gyeonggi Province has formalized a partnership with South Korea's Gambling Control Commission (KGCC) to combat youth gambling. This memorandum of understanding, signed on Monday, addresses the increasing risk of gambling exposure among schoolchildren, particularly through smartphones, by integrating preventive education into existing school programs.
The signing took place at Osan Seongho Middle School, where the agreement outlined a strategy that combines gambling prevention education with a "phone-free" policy alongside RAS education. RAS, which stands for Reading, Arts, and Sports, aims to engage students in structured, screen-free activities.
This combined approach is designed to diminish access to gambling content on mobile devices while also providing engaging alternatives to help students reduce their dependence on digital entertainment. The collaboration will facilitate coordination on policy-making, protect students, and exchange educational resources and prevention specialists between the KGCC and the Gyeonggi education office.
Additionally, the partners will analyze operational data, initiate pilot programs, and create a framework for broader national application.
The agreement emphasizes a sustained, school-centered approach to preventing youth gambling. Instead of temporary initiatives, the focus will be on integrating gambling prevention into daily school life by combining smartphone restrictions with engaging RAS activities, effectively preventing students from spending time exposed to gambling materials.
At the signing event, An Min-seok, the Gyeonggi education chief, highlighted the urgent nature of the issue, stating, "To effectively respond to youth gambling problems, close cooperation between the Office of Education, which understands the school environment best, and specialized prevention and treatment institutions is necessary." He expressed hope that the agreement would lead to actionable policies rather than remaining a symbolic gesture.
Korea's initiative aligns with similar efforts worldwide, such as in Ireland, where a national campaign was launched in July to help parents and guardians identify and respond to underage gambling. This campaign utilizes various media outlets, including video-on-demand services, radio, digital audio networks, and social media platforms.
