Seoul, October 28, 2026. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency honored five representatives of Korea Sports Leisure, operator of the legal sports betting brand Sports Toto, for their campaigns against illegal gambling and underage participation. The ceremony took place on October 21, during the 81st Police Day anniversary, at the Namdaemun Police Station.
Chief Executive Officer Kim Dae-wook received a commendation from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ko Beom-seok, while police chief Ham Kyung-chul recognized four employees, including Kil Je-yong. The names of the other three employees were not disclosed.
Ko Beom-seok
The recognition particularly highlighted a national gambling prevention competition organized by Korea Sports Leisure, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), and the Namdaemun Police between July 20 and August 23. The competition received 107 educational submissions, of which 15 were selected, representing 14% of the total. The content addressed illegal betting, risks to young people, and problem gambling prevention.
As a follow-up, the company launched a digital campaign running from October 26 to November 8 through Betman, Sports Toto's official platform, incorporating quizzes and interactive experiences developed using ZEP, alongside police-produced educational content.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns about youth gambling. According to regulatory data, 5,838 children and young people aged 19 or under received counseling or treatment during 2025, an increase of 40.9%. Additionally, 267 teenagers were investigated for online gambling between January and July 2026. Korea Sports Leisure, established on April 7, 2025, operates Sports Toto under delegation from KSPO, within the framework of the National Sports Promotion Act and the sectoral oversight of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The company also operates a reporting program targeting illegal betting, offering rewards of up to 200 million South Korean won (KRW) for certain cases, alongside specific incentives for reporting sports match-fixing and identifying bank accounts linked to illegal operators. Authorities did not disclose the campaign budgets or any monetary prizes associated with the five police commendations.
