South Korea is examining whether AI character chat apps such as Zeta and Crack fall under game regulations if they introduce paid, probability-based features. The National Assembly Research Service (NARS) told the office of Rep. Lee Jeong-moon of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on 21 September 2026 that AI character chat apps in their basic form are unlikely to qualify as games under the Game Industry Promotion Act, though classification can change when services add rules, goals, rewards or other game-like mechanics, especially when users spend paid in-app currency on outcomes determined by probability. NARS said simple features such as affection meters, relationship levels and anniversary records are generally not enough on their own, while level systems, experience points, dice-based outcomes, success-or-failure conditions, and branching story endings can strengthen the case, with the strongest case arising when users put paid currency into a probability-based feature and can gain or lose virtual items or currency. The issue emerged around Crack, operated by Wrtn Technologies, which in December 2025 introduced a “Cracker Baking” event where users spent paid in-app currency for a chance to multiply or lose holdings; it closed shortly after launch due to gambling-like concerns. NARS said the event was difficult to classify outright as a gambling game because gains and losses involved in-app currency rather than cash or prizes, but the Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) said in August that paid currency combined with probability-based gains or losses could be an important