South Korea's Kangwon Land targets online scammers using its name
South Korea’s sole 바카라, legally open to its citizens, Kangwon Land, has launched a vigorous crackdown against a growing wave of fraudulent online gambling sites illegally operating under its name.
The latest incident unfolded on 28 May 2025, when Kangwon Land identified an unauthorised online gambling website using its official logo and name to mislead users. The site rechanneled gamblers to illegal platforms while masquerading as an official Kangwon Land service. In response, the 바카라 operator promptly reported the case to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), seeking its immediate shutdown.
In a statement, the 바카라 firm clarified, “Kangwon Land does not operate any online 바카라 services. It only operates the land-based 바카라 at its designated location in Gangwon Province.” The operator has filed a criminal complaint with the police against those responsible for the fraudulent site.
The 바카라 is taking the matter severely, launching a nationwide awareness campaign across multiple platforms, including its website, social media channels, blogs, and large electronic billboards, to warn the public about such impersonation scams.
Multiple cases of impersonation
However, this is not an isolated case. In 2023, Kangwon Land detected two similar illegal websites, both of which were subsequently blocked by the KCSC. One was further investigated by police under charges of impersonation and illegal gambling operations.
Kangwon Land reported approximately 3,400 illegal gambling websites to regulators last year, underscoring the magnitude of the challenge. Furthermore, it is no secret that South Korea has a strict gambling policy.
While foreigners can gamble freely at 16 바카라s nationwide, Kangwon Land remains the only legal option for South Korean nationals, who face strict monthly visit limits and identity verification to curb problem gambling. This controlled access has inadvertently created fertile ground for illegal operators targeting local demand.
Youth targeted by scams
Government data confirms the rising threat. According to the National Gambling Control Commission, surged from just over 13,000 in 2019 to more than 39,000 in 2023. The illegal gambling market’s estimated value reached ₩102.7 trillion (€70 billion) in 2022.
Particularly alarming is the rapid increase in youth involvement. Teen gambling counselling cases more than doubled between 2020 and 2023, while online 바카라 participation among minors jumped nearly 14-fold. Police data shows that gambling-related arrests among teenagers aged 14 to 19 more than doubled in just one year.
To counter this growing problem, Kangwon Land has invested in South Korea’s first artificial intelligence-powered monitoring system, developed in partnership with KAIST, one of the country’s leading research institutions.
The system scans and analyses illegal online gambling activity in real-time, providing regulators with the much-needed tools to respond swiftly. For Kangwon Land, protecting its brand integrity has now become inseparable from defending national policy against a rapidly evolving digital threat.
