A South Korean court has fined 2 Buddhist monks for illegal gambling, after video footage of their high-stakes poker game sparked a scandal in religious circles.

National scandal was reported by South Korean tabloids after 8 Buddhist monks were secretly recorded drinking, smoking  cigarettes and throwing around 1 billion won ($875,300) of cash while playing a 13 hour game of high-stakes poker.

Hazard is illegal for South Koreans outside of tourist casinos and adding to the public outcry was the fact that the incident took place around the holiest day of the religion’s calendar celebrating the birthday of Buddha, and suspicion the money actually came from public charitable donations to the monks temple.

The Seoul Central District Court has fined the Buddhist monks from the Jogye Order, the country’s largest Buddhist order, 2 million won each.

Buddhist monks Poker Scandal / South Korean Buddhist monks have been fined for illegal gambling

One of the another Buddhist monk who filmed the hotel room where the gambling poker session was held and an engineer who set up the camera were given suspended prison sentences for breaking into the room and damaging it while trying to install the camera.

Prosecutors launched a probe after footage came to light of 8 Buddhist monks gambling at the hotel in southern Jangseong county summer this year.

At the time the scandal broke, head monk of the Jogye, South Korea’s largest Buddhist order representing around 20 percent of the country’s population, vowed to administer suitable punishment.

A head of the Jogye Order of Korea Buddhism, Ven. Jaseung said they deeply apologize for the behavior of several monks in his order.

The monks who have caused public concern are currently being investigated and will be punished according to Buddhist regulations as soon as the truth is verified by the prosecution.

Eight monks playing poker, smoking & drinking alcohol have been fined for illegal gambling / video :

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