Analysis of Research Trends on Illegal Online Gambling among Youths: Focusing on Academic Journal Articles

This study analyzes research trends on illegal online gambling among adolescents in South Korea to propose future research directions. Sixty-four articles published in domestic academic journals between January 2015 and June 2025 were analyzed based on publication year, academic field, methodology, subjects, and topics. The findings reveal a significant increase in research since 2021, largely within social welfare, police administration, and counseling psychology. Thematically, studies identifying 'influencing factors' such as irrational beliefs and accessibility were predominant, while research on practical prevention and intervention strategies remained insufficient. Methodologically, quantitative approaches dominated. Furthermore, study subjects were disproportionately middle and high school students, indicating a critical lack of research on elementary students despite the trend of earlier gambling onset. Consequently, this study suggests that future research should move beyond factor identification to focus on developing and verifying effective intervention programs. It also underscores the need to expand the scope to younger age groups for early prevention and to encourage qualitative inquiry for a more profound understanding of the issue.