Why Celebrities Get Hooked on Gambling

A spate of celebrities are being investigated for online gambling, most prominently Tony An of the defunct boy band H.O.T., comedian Lee Soo-geun, singer and TV host Tak Jae-hoon, Andy of the six-man band Shinhwa and others.

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Gambling is illegal in Korea except for a couple of state-run and strictly limited flutters. But celebrities often risk their careers and popularity with an unusually censorious public by gambling illegally.

In June, comedian and TV host Kim Yong-man was given an eight-month jail term for illegal gambling, though his sentence was reduced to two years probation, while in 2011, singers Shin Jung-hwan and Lee Sung-jin were slapped with eight-month and one-year jail terms plus W5 million (US$1=W1,073) in fines.

Their sentences too were later suspended, but they are still practically banned from appearing on TV for fear that they could lead young viewers astray.

Broadcasting insiders say celebrities are often lured by gambling due to their lifestyle. "Entertainers can't drink too much because of their tight schedules, and because they're famous they can't just kick back anywhere and relax", said Ahn Sang-hui, a producer at tvN. "They can't even date for fear of getting their pictures all over the gossip pages, so their only outlet is gambling".

Others claim celebrities tend to seek "strong stimulation". Woo Jong-min, a psychiatrist at Seoul Paik Hospital, said, "Entertainers are used to being in the spotlight, and they tend to enjoy things that give them instant pleasure and satisfaction even in their daily lives. That may be why they easily fall victim to addictive pastimes rather than ordinary hobbies".

Others blame a more permissive society. Won Man-shik, head of entertainment at MBC, said there is a tendency for celebrities who are caught gambling to ease their way back into TV after taking some time off.

Shin was slapped with a W7 million fine for illegal gambling in 2005 but returned to TV until he was nabbed gambling again in 2010 in the Philippines, where he elaborately staged a fake hospital stay. Comedian Kim Jun-ho was also caught gambling overseas in 2009 but returned to comedy shows only seven months later.