The Korea Center on Gambling Problems, Jeonbuk Center, which provides prevention and treatment services for gambling problems, held a gambling prevention education session on December 11 with the Jeongeup Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center to raise awareness of gambling issues by providing multicultural youths and their parents with information on the nature of gambling and the harms associated with addiction.

The Korea Center on Gambling Problems, Jeonbuk Center, is a specialized counseling and treatment agency for gambling problems that conducts prevention, treatment, and related activities regarding addiction caused by the gaming industry. Since August 2017, it has been operated under consignment by the Industry-University Cooperation of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU).

This education session was held under the memorandum of understanding signed in April between the Korea Center on Gambling Problems, Jeonbuk Center, and the Jeonju Multicultural Family Support Jeonbuk Hub Center. The MOU was concluded to cooperate in preventing gambling problems among multicultural families in Jeollabuk-do and to support their healthy development.

During the session, participants were informed about the actual conditions and current situation of gambling problems, the seriousness of gambling addiction, protecting families from gambling, and measures for preventing gambling addiction and seeking help. Participants agreed on the severity of gambling problems and said the session provided an opportunity to ask questions about prevention methods and receive answers.

Yun Myung-sook, Chair of the Korea Center on Gambling Problems' Operating Committee and a professor in the Department of Social Welfare at JBNU, said, 'Although youths' internet use has increased due to COVID-19, support systems to address youth issues such as online gambling remain insufficient. In particular, multicultural families require greater attention because language barriers can lead to exclusion from necessary information. Going forward, we will work actively with the local community to improve awareness of gambling problems and to create a safer Jeollabuk-do.'

Meanwhile, anyone concerned about gambling problems can receive free gambling-related counseling services by phone at 1336 (24 hours, toll-free), through online chat 'Netline (netline.kcgp.or.kr)', by text '#1336', or via KakaoTalk 'Chatbot'.