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Online gambling has been in the news a fair bit recently, with the ease of getting into online sportsbook betting becoming a hotly contested issue in the United States and popular prediction markets being subjected to increased controversy and government scrutiny. It’s hardly limited to the United States, however, as illicit online gambling has wide appeal across much of Asia, despite local laws forbidding much of it.
South Korea in particular has seen an uptick in online gambling, particularly among youth, many of whom have gone to extreme lengths to obtain money to spend on gambling or cover their debts. To help combat the growing problem, the government has teamed up with one of the most famous figures in global esports, League of Legends prodigy Lee Sang-hyeok, better known by the handle “Faker.”
As reported by the Seoul Economic Daily, Faker has been made an honorary police officer with the title of Senior Officer. The rationale behind this appointment is that “Lee is an esports player with high recognition at home and abroad and has consistently practiced the values of self-management and restraint throughout his long career, serving as a role model for young people.” In this role, Lee will be producing public service announcements, such as videos and posters, to help promote South Korea’s Youth Cyber Gambling Voluntary Reporting System, which aims to help youngsters with online gambling problems. As an added incentive to free themselves of gambling addiction, those who join the program may receive Faker’s autographed uniform, which the article notes “will be delivered to young people who have overcome gambling addiction by faithfully participating in treatment programs, serving as encouragement for their healthy return to daily life.”
This honor is hardly the first for Lee, who was the first Korean eSports athlete to receive the Cheongnyong Medal, a top honor for the country’s athletes. He’s also due to appear on South Korean postage and has recently debuted on a local Disney+ television program. Suffice to say, Lee is a broadly known public figure whose high profile might bring attention to the issue.
This all contrasts against the actions of League of Legends publisher Riot Games, who opened up sports-betting sponsorships for LoL teams a little over a year ago. Whether or not the South Korean government will actually take them to task for that is up in the air.
