South Korean Banks Introduce Youth Gambling Transfer Warnings And Support Referrals

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has partnered with KakaoBank and Toss Bank to intervene when young customers attempt payments to accounts suspected of gambling activity.

Following a memorandum signed on 29 October, the Youth Digital Safety System launched on 2 November 2026. Police and banks will share verified information, combining transaction safeguards with access to counselling and treatment.

Police Verification And Bank Screening Will Identify Suspected Gambling Accounts

Police will verify suspicious accounts before passing their details to the two internet-only banks. KakaoBank and Toss Bank will then conduct checks through their fraud detection systems. Where an account belongs to either bank, its holder may be asked to explain funding sources and transaction purposes before deposits and withdrawals are suspended.

Additional measures address transfers to accounts at other banks. These safeguards extend intervention beyond accounts held directly by the participating institutions, allowing young customers to encounter warnings or restrictions before money reaches a suspected gambling recipient.

Toss Bank Adds Guardian Alerts While KakaoBank Blocks Certain Transfers

Toss Bank will warn young customers attempting transfers to high-risk accounts belonging to individuals or companies. If someone under 17 proceeds despite that warning, a text message will notify their guardian.

KakaoBank will block young customers’ transfers to corporate accounts identified as suspicious through its verification process. Pop-ups will vary according to the transaction, explaining when a payment cannot proceed or may be risky. 

Customers who cancel will receive an acknowledgment. Every message will include access to the 117 counselling and support service.

Survey Findings Highlight Early Exposure And Risks Beyond Gambling Losses

A Seoul survey covering more than 35,000 students towards the end of 2025 found that 20.9% had seen friends gamble, more than twice the previous year’s proportion.

Separately, the Korea Center on Gambling Problems estimated that approximately 157,000 students, ranging from fourth-grade elementary pupils to final-year high school students, had experienced gambling. Their average age at first exposure was 12.5.

Another report on the centre’s 2025 survey found that online casino games represented 35.8% of reported gambling experience types. Police also raised concerns about fraud, theft and extortion by young people seeking gambling funds.

Counselling Pathway Connects Financial Intervention With Treatment And Recovery

Young people contacting 117 will receive an initial interview before referral to a School Police Officer. An officer and professional counsellor will assess risk using the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory.

Depending on that assessment, referrals may include education or treatment through organisations such as the Korea Center on Gambling Problems and Internet Addiction Prevention Center. Serious cases may require hospital treatment.

Regular meetings between police and the banks will address cooperation, including suspicious accounts held elsewhere. Commissioner Go Beomseok said the initiative would connect financial intervention with counselling, treatment and recovery.

Intervening at the transfer stage creates an opportunity to interrupt gambling before funds leave a young person’s account. Linking those warnings to support is equally important, because blocking one payment does not address the underlying behaviour. Assessment should examine whether customers engage with counselling and whether safeguards remain effective when recipients use other banks.