The Gyeonggi Province Office of Education has forged a youth gambling prevention pact with South Korea's Gambling Control Commission (KGCC).
This memorandum of understanding, signed on Monday at Osan Seongho Middle School, will address the increasing exposure to gambling among schoolchildren due to smartphone usage. The initiative aims to embed preventive education within the broader scope of school-based programs.
Key elements of the partnership include a focus on gambling prevention education integrated with a "phone-free" strategy, paired with RAS education. RAS, which stands for reading, arts, and sports, encourages students to engage in structured, screen-free activities that occupy their time. This dual strategy intends to curtail access to gambling content available through smartphones and offer meaningful alternatives that diminish the reliance on digital devices.
Under this agreement, the KGCC, which operates under the prime minister's office and is responsible for overseeing gambling regulation and monitoring illegal gambling activities, will work closely with the Gyeonggi education office. This collaboration will involve policy coordination, efforts to protect students, and the sharing of educational resources and prevention specialists.
Plans under this partnership also include analyzing operational data, developing pilot programs, and establishing a model for broader national application.
A key aspect of this initiative will be the establishment of a systematic policy cooperation mechanism that specifically targets youth gambling prevention and student safety. Rather than relying solely on short-term campaigns, this approach seeks to integrate gambling prevention into the daily routines of schools.
The strategy will combine restrictions on smartphone use with engaging RAS activities, effectively blocking opportunities for exposure to gambling content.
During the signing ceremony, Gyeonggi education head An Min-seok highlighted the urgent nature of the issue, stating, "To effectively respond to youth gambling problems, close cooperation between the Office of Education, which best understands the school environment, and specialised prevention and treatment institutions is necessary." He expressed hope that this agreement would lead to the development and implementation of substantive policies rather than remaining a one-time event.
South Korea is joining a global trend, following in the footsteps of markets like Ireland, which launched a national campaign in July to aid parents in recognizing and addressing underage gambling. This campaign will be broadcast through various media, including video-on-demand platforms, radio, digital audio networks, and social media.
