Hana Financial to spend $7.3 million on youth gambling prevention and treatment

Hana Financial Group will pour 10 billion won ($7.3 million) into a project dedicated to preventing illegal youth gambling and treating young people for addiction.

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo, fourth from left in the front row, and other governmental officials including Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Lee Bok-hyun, fifth from left, take a photo after launching a project dedicated to preventing illegal youth gambling in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Friday. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

Hana Financial Group will pour 10 billion won ($7.3 million) into a project dedicated to preventing illegal youth gambling and treating young people for addiction.

The three-year project, jointly run by Hana Financial and the state-run Korea Problem Gambling Agency, will conduct various preventive campaigns for teenagers, including the production of musicals and animations targeted at teenage gambling. Various governmental bodies like the Financial Supervisory Service and the National Police Agency will also participate.

The project will also foster around 1,000 experts specializing in preventing youth gambling.

Esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok from T1 is appointed as the ambassador of the project. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

It aims to expand a consultation program connecting gambling addicted young people to psychologists. It has set a target of 24,000 consultations over three years.

Hana Financial Group also hired Esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as the ambassador of the project, considering that many teenagers are big fans of online games like League of Legends.

"A comprehensive approach to preventive measures and treatment is essential to protect the youth from illegal gambling," said Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo during an event launching the project in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Friday.

"Hana will take the lead in building social safety networks to prevent the youth from being addicted to gambling through various programs targeted at teenagers."

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]