The results of various gambling addiction prevention activities conducted by Sports Toto during the week of awareness of gambling problems

Oct 03, 2024

photo courtesy of Sports Toto Korea

Sports Toto Korea, a trustee of Sports Toto, a sports promotion voting ticket issued by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, has successfully completed all various gambling addiction prevention activities during the gambling problem awareness week (September 9-20). This activity was designed to promote the risk of gambling addiction and to create a healthy leisure life for Sports Toto users.

The 「Day of Elimination of Gambling Addiction」 designated by the Gambling Industry Integration Supervision Committee (Saudit Committee) is September 17 every year, and the week is operated as a gambling problem recognition week. This year, it was designated from September 9th to 20th, coinciding with the Chuseok holiday. In this regard, Sports Toto Korea delivered a message to prevent gambling addiction through a relay campaign involving Sports Toto officials from August 16 to September 20 on the occasion of 'Gambling Addiction Deportation Day'.

'Gambling Addiction Deportation Day' Relay Campaign Sports Toto Korea's Kim In-soo (left) and Korea Sports Promotion Foundation's Choi Kyu-chul, head of the sports industry division. Photo courtesy = Sports Toto Korea

Sports commentator Ssalti-Taka, Sejong Sports Toto Women's Football Team squad and coach Yoon Deok-yeo, Choi Kyu-chul, head of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation's sports industry division, and Kim In-soo, head of Sports Toto Korea's consolidation division, participated in the campaign, and spread the slogan 'You, Me, Me, Dando' four times through SNS such as YouTube, blog, and Instagram. In addition, on September 1, the Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul hosted a 'Gambling Addiction Prevention Campaign' for sports game spectators. The audience gathered to watch the final of the Bonghwangdae High School Baseball Tournament (Gyeonggi Sanggo-Jeonju High School) received a sound purchase pledge (266 people) and a screening test for gambling addiction (77 cases).

Since September 13, 539 participations have been completed in sound purchase pledges and gambling addiction screening tests through the Online Gambling Addiction Prevention Campaign for Betman users, and 34 early interventions have been conducted to guide professional counseling at the Korea Gambling Problem Prevention and Healing Center. In addition, from September 6 to 8, the Sports Toto Healing Camp in 2024 for over-immersion users was held in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. This camp is a program to alleviate gambling and immersion through art healing programs in collaboration with Daegu Catholic University in Naecheon rafting and Inje Speedium, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. A total of 48 participants (Sport Toto immersion users and partners) were given time for self-reflection and healing, and after the event was over, participants' satisfaction and reviews showed that satisfaction was quite high in both the first and second healing camps.

Also, from September 23 to 29, a campaign to prevent illegal sports gambling among youth, 'Please protect our children!' was also carried out. About 1,400 people, including 703 in the first round and 696 in the second round, participated in the youth protection pledge. An official from Sports Toto Korea said, `The various gambling addiction prevention activities that Sports Toto conducted to mark the week of awareness of gambling problems would have served as a good opportunity to inform the seriousness of the gambling problem,' adding, `We will continue to carry out various sound activities to prevent gambling addiction, prevent youth gambling problems, and establish a healthy sports culture in the future" he said.

nogoon@sportschosun.com