Online Gaming Disputes Surge, With Contract Violations and Minor Purchases Driving Complaints

The majority of complaints — 62.8% or 661 cases — stemmed from contract-related issues. (Image created by AI/ChatGPT) SEOUL, April 21 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is witnessing a sharp rise in consumer complaints related to online game purchases, with a record number of disputes filed over the past year, according to new data from the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA).

A total of 1,055 consumer dispute cases tied to online gaming were filed between 2022 and 2024, with annual complaints climbing from 248 cases in 2022 to 288 in 2023, and soaring to 519 in 2024 — an 80.2% increase year-over-year, marking the steepest rise in recent years. The majority of complaints — 62.



8% or 661 cases — stemmed from contract-related issues. These included requests for cancellation or withdrawal of in-game purchases, which alone accounted for 41.7% of all claims.

Other frequent issues included account suspensions or service outages (11.3%) and unauthorized purchases by minors (9.8%).

By age group, those in their 30s filed the most complaints (37.6%), followed by those in their 40s (26.4%) and 20s (22.

0%). Notably, 43 cases (4.1%) involved children under the age of 10, often related to large in-game purchases made using credit card information stored on parents’ phones.

Foreign game publishers have also drawn criticism for abruptly terminating services in South Korea without refunding users’ remaining credits — a practice known locally as meok-twi , or “eat and run.” In response to these recurring incidents, a revision to the Game Industry Promotion Act will take effect in October 2025. The amendment mandates that foreign publishers operating in Korea must appoint a local representative and disclose contact information, including phone numbers.

To mitigate future consumer harm, the KCA is advising users to verify whether overseas game operators provide domestic contact information before making purchases. For parents, the agency recommends setting password prompts for all in-game purchases and removing credit card details from app market accounts to prevent unauthorized transactions by minors. The latest findings underscore growing regulatory pressure on the global gaming industry, as digital commerce blurs national boundaries and raises new challenges for consumer protection.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.

com).