The variety of South Korean youngsters who’re getting medical remedy for downside playing habits has virtually tripled to this point in 2023 compared to six years in the past, new knowledge claims.
Earlier as we speak, Consultant Search engine optimization Dong-yong of the Democratic Social gathering launched some knowledge from the Well being Insurance coverage Assessment and Evaluation Service, in keeping with which a complete of 111 folks aged 19 or beneath have been handled for compulsive playing within the interval between January and August 2023. The determine represents a 2.8-fold improve of their quantity from simply 39 in 2017 and has been on a gradual rise for the previous six years.
The determine rose from 39 in 2017 to 65 in 2018, then to 93 in 2019, 98 in 2020, after which, in 2021, rose to 127. There was a slight decline to 102 adolescents getting medical remedy for playing habit in 2022, however the determine rebounded to 111 within the first eight months of 2023.
A gradual and fast improve within the variety of youngsters who’re getting counseling for some gambling-related points was additionally registered in South Korea. In accordance with the newest figures, the variety of children who’re being consulted for his or her gambling-related issues elevated to 1,406 between January and August 2023. Solely eight years in the past (in 2015), their quantity was 52.
The newest knowledge offered by the nation’s Well being Insurance coverage Assessment and Evaluation Service additionally revealed that in 2022, seven kids aged 14 or beneath dedicated gambling-related crimes. In accordance with the lawmaker who printed the figures, there was just one such case in 2017.
Regular Improve Registered within the Variety of Youngsters Affected by Playing
Consultant Search engine optimization Dong-yong urged the South Korean Authorities to maneuver ahead with the introduction of enough prevention measures, saying that younger folks within the nation are getting more and more uncovered to illegal playing providers every day and have a tendency to not take unlawful playing and the problems related to it critically sufficient.
Earlier this 12 months, a research from native medical researchers discovered some widespread indicators of teenager playing, resembling deteriorating educational efficiency, skipping actions, and stealing. The survey additionally revealed that adolescents who gamble on-line are uncovered to a better threat of coping with gambling-related hurt than those to gamble offline.
In accordance with the official survey figures launched by the Well being Insurance coverage Assessment and Evaluation Service as a part of the state-run organizations’ statistics in June 2022, a complete of seven,063 South Korean youngsters have acquired remedy for downside playing habits. As compared, solely 837 adolescents received such remedy in 2017, with their quantity rising to 1,597 by 2020. One other important surge adopted, with the variety of children handled for playing habit rising to 2,269 in 2021, a 42% improve in a single 12 months.
On the time the analysis outcomes had been unveiled, the specialists who took half in gathering, compiling and analyzing the outcomes mentioned that the fast improve in that quantity may very well be attributed to a sure half to the consequences extended Covid-19 pandemic on South Korea’s youth behaviour.