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The illegal gambling industry here in Korea has grown rapidly over the past few years
with the increased popularity of online sports betting.
The industry was reported to be worth a staggering 66 billion U.S. dollars last year.
Yoo Li-an reports on one of the country's biggest shadow industries.
Korea's illegal gambling industry is growing in terms of revenue but also in its reach.
The National Gambling Control Commission says the industry ballooned by over 40 percent
from 2008 to 2012 to 66 billion dollars.
The commission says the surge in number is partly because it has included estimates for
illegal gambling in private homes and illegal sports betting which have become even more
popular in recent years.
Gambling in private homes is thought to be the most common form of illegal gambling in
Korea followed by illegal gambling through electronic devices and online.
Experts say huge amounts of money flows through the underground economy, and is completely
free of government control.
Opinions differ on how to deal with the problem.
Some say the police should crack down harder on illegal gambling, while others are calling
for gambling to be legalized and taxed.
Experts that advocate the legalizing policy say tax revenues from gambling could top one
hundred billion U.S. dollars in just five years.
They say the extra revenue could fund most of the country's welfare budget which stands
at around 120 billion dollars.
Yoo Li-an, Arirang News.