The number of South Korean teens suffering from gambling addiction exploded at an alarming rate over five years from 2015, according to an opposition lawmaker.

According to data from the state-run Korea Center on Gambling Problems, which was released by Rep. Bae June-young of the main opposition People Power Party, the number of teenagers who received treatment at the center for gambling addiction has increased nearly fourteenfold from 71 in 2015 to 981 in 2019.

The number of reported national teenage gambling addiction cases increased to 240 in 2016, 345 in 2017 and 714 in 2018 and was 549 as of August this year. (Yonhap)