Seoul:South Korea is taking steps to enhance the effectiveness of gambling addiction treatment for teenagers, with a focus on improving the process for identifying and referring affected youths to appropriate care.
According to Thai News Agency, the South Korean Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Won Min-kyung, emphasized the importance of collaboration between youth advocacy organizations and specialized gambling addiction treatment agencies. This cooperation is essential for leveraging expertise and effectively addressing the issue of gambling addiction among teenagers.
By 2025, it is projected that young people will make up 24.3 percent of those receiving treatment for gambling addiction, a marked increase from 6.2 percent in 2021. This rise in numbers highlights the growing concern over teenage gambling, especially online.
The Ministry is focusing on strengthening support systems to ensure early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation for affected teenagers. Part of this initiative includes improving training for youth counselors and frontline staff to help them identify warning signs of gambling addiction and refer teenagers to the correct agencies.
The Adolescent Gambling Monitoring Project currently offers five annual training sessions for 240 participants, with two expert instructors leading each session. Additionally, the Ministry plans to streamline the referral process between youth counseling centers and specialized treatment units to provide timely care for adolescents in need.
Annual surveys are conducted among first and fourth-year secondary school students to identify those at risk for gambling addiction. Students flagged as needing help receive initial counseling at the Youth Welfare and Counseling Center before being referred to specialized agencies.
During a recent visit to the Korea Gambling Addiction Treatment Agency in Seoul, Minister Won inspected facilities such as the counseling hotline and rehabilitation center, reinforcing the Ministry's commitment to tackling gambling addiction among the nation's youth.