Playing the slot machines is a leisure activity sanctioned by the United States and British military on many bases. Gambling is unsupervised and can often be accessed by those under 18, although technically prohibited. In the UK, slot machines are heavily regulated and limited in numbers, but last week it emerged that underage recruits could play the machines at a Naval Base in Portsmouth, and that the availability of slot machines on military bases is common practice and not governed by the law of the land.

The US military has a similar attitude to gambling on its bases across the world, irrespective of local laws. In South Korea casinos are forbidden to local residents apart from at the KangwonLand Resort in Kangwondo. It appears that the Yongsan Garrison has been hosting gamblers brought on base by a South Korean woman who held a valid ID card for base admittance. The woman was arrested and jailed by the Korean authorities for having violated foreign currency exchange regulations, but the fact that she is believed to have brought around 200 people onto the base in some 900 visits over three years must raise some serious questions about security. With troops supposedly on high alert since 9/11 and thorough checks of everyone entering US bases, at home and abroad, it must have been apparent that the woman was signing in more people than could be expected to have a legitimate reason for entry.

The woman at the centre of the case has not been charged with aiding and abetting South Koreans to gamble although she is believed to have charged around $30 for each person gaining entrance to Yongsan. A bank account in her name was found by police to contain nearly $1.2 million. US military officials are now reportedly working with South Korean officials to investigate, but have refused to speculate on the outcome of the investigation. (E-03.28.05)

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